Cybersecurity For Dummies

Chapter 14

Resetting Your Device

IN THIS CHAPTER

Discovering two major types of device resets

Figuring out when you should use each type to reset your device

Resetting your device accordingly

Chapter 13 talks about backing up and why it is a critical component of any and every cybersecurity plan. The odds are close to 100 percent that, at some point, you will lose access to some file to which you still need access, and restoring from a backup will be a “lifesaver.”

In this chapter, I discuss resetting your computer and tell you what you need to know to successfully reset your device so that it’s (almost) as good as new.

Exploring Two Types of Resets

Sometimes, the easiest way to restore — and to help ensure that none of the problems that forced you to restore in the first place remain — is to start over by resetting your device to factory settings and reinstalling your apps and copying your data files from a backup.

Some forms of malware can survive a factory reset. So, if your device was infected with malware, be sure to address that problem even if you plan to reset your ...