If you haven’t heard already there is a new flaw found in
the encryption tool used by two-thirds of all internet servers. This flaw is so
scary that security researchers named the flaw the Heartbleed. In layman’s
terms, the heartbleed has the potential to be exploited leaving your login
names and passwords at risk of getting into someone else’s hands. With the risk of exploitation at a high right
now, it is a good time to change your passwords. Even without this heartbleed, it is a good
practice to change all your passwords every 90 days to protect your accounts
from being compromised. Here are a few guidelines
when deciding to change your password.
Use different
passwords
The biggest mistake which happens to also be the most common
mistake is to choose one password and use it as your login to everything. If there is a breach in one of your accounts,
it is easy for hackers to hack into your other accounts if you have the same
password.
Strengthen your
passwords
Passwords should be at least 6-8 characters in length and
include both numbers and letters. Names of
people or things connected to you should be avoided, as the first place criminals
may look to extract personal information is on your social media sites. Your password for your email is one of the
most important passwords to protect. If hackers can gain access to your email,
they can easily see your accounts linked to the email and reset passwords.
Use the two- factor
authentication
In addition to passwords, a new option is offered by many
banks, social networking sites and email services called two factor authentications.
This requires an additional verification after entering your username and
password. Every time someone tries to login to the account, a one-time code is
sent to you (generally via text message) that you must type in to gain access
to the account.
Don’t be an easy target for hackers. Take the time to change
your passwords to protect yourself.
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