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Computer Password Essentials
In this day of the digital age, we use computers, tablets, smart phones and laptops for all manner of sensitive transactions and for the storage of some of our most important data.
Banks, retailers, government, health care etc. are doing all that they can to encourage us to use their electronic online systems because it saves them money and give us (in theory) quicker and better access to information and resources.
If I cite one example of changing your address on your driving licence (which is a legal requirement), it used to be a trip to the Post Office to collect a form, complete it, post it and wait two to three weeks for the amended licence to be delivered. Now, thanks to a PC and broadband I can do it online in five minutes (providing I have the correct documents to prove my identity) and the new licence should arrive within 5 working days.
So the freedom, information and convenience of the digital is great BUT it also means that your digital identity is at greater risk than ever before. A hacker can be sitting anywhere in the world trying to steal your identify, passwords, bank details etc.
So how do I improve my protection?
Always connect to the internet from behind a router which is also a hard firewall
Use ‘hard’ passwords
Use different passwords for different accounts/activities
Don’t share your passwords. It may seem obvious but you’d be shocked how many people make this fundamental security mistake.
Password Don’ts
Your partner, child, or pet’s name, possibly followed by a 0 or 1 (because they’re always making you use a number, aren’t they?)
The last 4 digits of your social security number.
123 or 1234 or 123456.
“password”
Your city, college or university, football team name.
Date of birth – yours, your partner’s or your child’s.
“god”
“letmein”
“money”
“love”
Statistically, 20% of all computer users have been proven to use one of the above password methods so any hacker is well on his/her way to hacking your digital identity.
Hard Passwords
The most frequently asked question we get given the guidelines is ‘What is a hard password?’
A hard password is something that no one is ever going to guess AND doesn’t contain any common word or phrase in it.
Here are some password tips to create a hard password:
Randomly substitute numbers for letters that look similar. The letter ‘o’ becomes the number ’0′, or even better an ‘@’ or ‘*’. (i.e. – Ford Focus… like F0rd@f0cus)
Randomly throw in capital letters (i.e. – F0rd@f0cus)
Think of something you were attached to when you were younger, but DON’T CHOOSE A PERSON’S NAME! Every name plus every word in the dictionary will fail under a simple brute force attack.
Maybe a place you loved, or a specific car, an attraction from a holiday, or a favourite restaurant?
You really need to have different username / password combinations for everything. Remember, the technique is to break into anything you access just to figure out your standard password, then compromise everything else. This doesn’t work if you don’t use the same password everywhere.
UPDATE
Check our our workshop blog for this utility
Do NOT underestimate the huge importance of protecting your digital identity. Failure to do so cost WILL likely cost you dearly.
A simpler pictorial guide to passwords here |
Staff friendly and advice given was first class.
