5 cybersecurity tips to help you protect your data online

In 2026, we manage more of our financial affairs online than ever before. Cash use is on the decline, and you may rely more heavily on banking apps or online transactions.

While this does make it quicker and easier to take control of your wealth, managing your money digitally is a double-edged sword, as you must also contend with fraudsters.

According to a 2025 report from UK Finance, £629 million was stolen through fraud in the first half of the year.

The criminals who perpetrate these crimes are constantly adapting their methods and taking advantage of technological advances, so it’s important that you keep up.

These five cybersecurity tips will help to protect you when managing your wealth online.

1. Follow the “stop, challenge, protect” approach

Scammers can be incredibly convincing, especially as they leverage AI technology to create “deepfakes” – realistic impersonations of video or voice recordings.

These deepfakes might appear to show well-known figures promoting investment schemes. Alternatively, they could mimic the voice of somebody you trust and encourage you to share sensitive information.

Data reported by PR Newswire showed that, in 2024, 53% of finance professionals in the UK and US had been targeted by deepfake scams.

These kinds of strategies highlight the importance of following the “stop, challenge, protect” approach encouraged by the anti-fraud organisation, Take Five:

Stop – Before inputting sensitive data or transferring money, stop and take a moment to consider the situation.
Challenge – Consider what you’re being asked to do and if it feels legitimate. Have you been pressured? Are you familiar with the organisation asking you for money? Does this feel secure?
Protect – If you are concerned that you have been scammed, contact the police and any other relevant organisations, such as your bank or financial planner.

Following these steps means that even if you’re faced with an incredibly realistic deepfake or a convincing scam email, you take the time to consider the situation and keep yourself safe.

2. Learn how to spot phishing emails

A “phishing” email is a scam communication that often claims to be from a trusted organisation – a bank, utility provider, or retailer, for example – and encourages you to share sensitive information.

Criminals can then use this to access accounts, make transfers, and execute more elaborate scams. Alternatively, they may invite you to click links, which download malicious software onto your computer.

While these emails can be incredibly convincing, there are small tell-tale signs to watch out for, including:

Email addresses that don’t match the typical credentials of the provider
Generic greetings that don’t include your name or account number
Spelling and grammar errors
Pressure to act quickly
Unusual attachments.

Watching out for these indicators can help you spot phishing emails and avoid scams. It’s also good practice to avoid clicking any links in emails you are not sure about.

3. Change passwords regularly

You likely have many online accounts, each with its own password. It can be difficult to keep track of them, so it’s tempting to use similar passwords for everything and stick with them.

However, this means that if scammers obtain one password, it’s much easier for them to access all your accounts.

As such, it’s important to change passwords regularly and follow good practice to make them as secure as possible. This means:

Making them longer
Including numbers and special characters
Using different passwords for each account.

You can use password-manager apps to keep track of all your secure passwords.

4. Enable two-factor authentication

Two-factor authentication is an added layer of security that requires a secondary code, as well as your normal password, to log in to an account.

You might receive the code via email or SMS message. Alternatively, you may use an authenticator app on your phone.

Most online accounts offer two-factor authentication features, so it’s worth checking the settings and activating this, if possible.

5. Use the Personal Finance Portal

In your dealings with us, we may need you to send important information about your finances. You’ll also want to stay up to date with how your financial plan is going. However, it’s important that these communications are secure and scammers can’t get hold of sensitive data.

The best way to ensure this level of security is to use the Personal Finance Portal (PFP).

This dashboard gives you crucial information about your financial plan in one place. You can also use it to securely send documents and communicate with us whenever you need to.

You can find the PFP under the My Ardent tab on our website.

Get in touch

We are here to help if you need more information about the PFP and how to use it.

Please contact us at hello@ardentuk.com or call or WhatsApp us on 01904 655 330. As an award-winning financial advice company with advisers included in the 2025 VouchedFor Top Rated guide, we can assure you that we’re a bona fide company providing excellent advice and high-quality service.

Please note

This article is for general information only and does not constitute advice. The information is aimed at individuals only.

All information is correct at the time of writing and is subject to change in the future.