Check Change your passwords Off Your Summer To-Do List -
Just a friendly reminder: It's time to change your passwords, if you have not recently. In case you have not heard, online services and sites of all kinds, Facebook and Netflix to GoToMyPC and Carbonite forcing password resets for some users because of a rash of account intrusions. These are not hacks in the traditional sense, as cybercriminals access not break into the sites themselves, but with the help of data obtained from previous data breaches - specifically, the LinkedIn breach 2012, which was revealed last month to have been far greater than all the initial reports have speculated. Whether your favorite websites sent emails stating that you must change your password or not, now is a great time to add to change your passwords for your summer list and check the box. Need to know more? Keep reading.
A password stolen could be the key to unlock your kingdom online
If you are guilty of reusing passwords or to stick to the same password for years, so chances are at least one of your faithful logins has been exposed in a data breach or another over the years. In fact, you can tell if an email or username account is part of a well-known violation by searching the haveibeenpwned.com website, which tracks user data known databases of stolen several best data breaches. If you are guilty of reuse passwords, it is normal to admit it - we all reuse a password or two in the past - but stick to this behavior is a fast ticket to misery, because it is one of the main ways people cybercriminals crack line. identities
Consider this scenario: you used the same password for your email account for years, and that you also use for other accounts you use frequently, such as Netflix and Amazon. If access to the gains of pirates in one of these accounts, they can easily try an attack force in your other accounts trying the same password in conjunction with your user name and / or email address up that they strike gold. And that is another important thing to keep in mind - questions of user name, as well as choosing your password, because it is easy to discover all of your online accounts if they use all the same name. Even if you have not reused passwords when it comes to very sensitive accounts, such as your banking online, access to your email allows hackers to request password resets and instantly to support these accounts, as well. Identify passwords that you change reused and so no are the same is the first step toward making your life safer online.
Enjoy two-factor authentication where possible
We wrote about the positive aspects of the two-factor authentication before but it is worth repeating. Think of it as a chain of these locks can be added to improve the security of your front door; even if someone were to obtain a copy of the key to your house, if the channel lock is on, they do not pass. The two-factor authentication usually takes the form of a text message or phone call sent to your phone designated by a code, a single time use you must enter after providing your username and password password before you are able to access your account. Most sites have integrated this security measure, and you can double check if your favorites are in use (and how to set up) on the website Two Factor Auth List.
Make it Count when choosing a new password
Although it may be a surprise to some, every year, when the list of the worst passwords is revealed, we see how many people allow themselves incredibly unprotected online. It is not only the "ordinary" people who are guilty either - after the breach of LinkedIn, it was discovered that the social media accounts of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg were hacked because he used the password Change your password is "dadada." first step, but you must also make sure that you change a security key that will be difficult for hackers - and their sophisticated programs - to crack. It used to be that the mere creation of a password of six to eight characters embedded at least one capital letter and one number was sufficient, but these days many websites require at least one special character (such as * and #) and allow users to input passwords between 12 and 20 characters (or more!).
A long strong password includes several special characters as well as numbers and capital letters. One trick is to use a phrase that you will remember and alternative numbers stand for letters (eg 3 instead of E) or randomize capitalization. You can also often use spaces in your passwords, do not let the opportunity of adding complexity by doing this. Need help coming up with and keep track of all your new passwords? A password manager like LastPass can be helpful, and goes a step further by ensuring your passwords and other credentials are stored encrypted in all security, never need to be typed by you (that which protects against keylogger programs). There are also websites that you can use that will generate random passwords for you to use.
Beware password spoofed reset emails
Unfortunately, where there is smoke, there is fire, and where there is a legitimate security issue, there are scam artists looking to take advantage of people. Many people have received emails from various companies in recent weeks asking them to reset their passwords. Although a large number of these are legitimate e-mails, it is possible for fraudsters to try to trick you with fake phishing emails disguised as real password reset emails. A good rule of thumb is to resist clicking on links when you receive an e-mail, instead opting to use the site and try to connect from there. If the site in question has already reset your password, you might not be able to connect, but will help you know for sure that the email you received is legitimate and contains safe links .
It is likely that it won 't be the last resetting the password we see this summer in order to stay one step ahead of hackers by changing all your passwords now a great way to reduce your stress. To learn more about yourself and keeping your identity safe online, visit our blog protect against identity theft.
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