By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills
Cyber crime can attack us when we are vulnerable. I’ve had it happen to me, and the process of making necessary changes is time consuming and at times embarrassing. The best protection is for us to take important steps to ensure our passwords are unique and not easily distinguished.
Online hackers have one of two goals—steal our money or our identity. We all work too hard for our possessions to pave the way for a faceless thief to take what is ours. There are many online security concerns as shared by Kim Komando but here’s some specific ideas help ensure passwords are secure.
Here are 8 ways you can be way ahead of hackers.
- Select a different password for every mobile device.
- Make your password as intricate as possible.
- Do not use a password that is linked to you: a birthday, anniversary, middle name, maiden name, address, college, city, state, children’s or grandchildren’s names, etc.
- Don’t be guilty of using one of these horrible, terrible, easily hackable, stupid, and down right dumb passwords: http://bit.ly/1VgwYKZ
- Be a protector of your passwords by taking a hard look at what you’ve used for the last several years. Updates are smart. Updating too often doesn’t make much sense, especially if you already have a solid password in place.
- Thinking about additional security protection? Your mother’s maiden name or your city is way too easy for a hacker to figure out. Think of a tough question and a tough response.
- Consider two-factor authentication. Read more about it here: http://bit.ly/1V6BfzO
- Use common sense in keeping track of your passwords. Why allow a website to remember your password. That only makes it easier for a hacker.
Your turn. Have you taken steps to ensure your password is protected?
DiAnn’s Library Corner
Librarian – Are your patrons’ information secure? Take measures to ensure your patrons information stays within your library.
