Password Security Thoughts for the Day:
- Is is one that some could easily guess?
- How many sites do you use the same login id and password combination?
- How many sites are you using different logins, but yet the same password?
- When was the last time you changed your password?
- Is Your Password sitting under your keyboard or mousepad?
- Does your work, Social Networking sites, Website, blog, Email, Banking and other accounts all using the same password?
- The most important question I have for you -- How safe is your password?
Guilty of the above? Are you in need to do some Password Fixing? I have good news for you! You can correct the situation before it becomes a problem.
According to Wikipedia " A password is a form of secret authentication data that is used to control access to a resource. The password is kept secret from those not allowed access, and those wishing to gain access are tested on whether or not they know the password and are granted or denied access accordingly."
With the wide variety of websites that require a sign-on and password, the process can be overwhelming. How does one manage their writing and keep all of these Sign-on ID's and passwords straight. What if someone hacked into one of your accounts? Could they get into everything of yours?
What Makes a good Password?
- One that has a combination of letters (and a combination of upper and lower case), numbers and special characters (*&^%$#@)
- use a password that you can type quickly, without having to look at the keyboard. This makes it harder for someone to steal your password by watching over your shoulder
- One that does not make sense
- Don't use your Social Security Number, License number or Telephone number in your password
- Must not have more than 2 characters repeated in a row - thus "ABCaaa" should not be used
- One that contains at least 8 characters
- Don't use any form of your Login Name as part of your password, or your first or last name for that matter
- Definitely not things like your name, your birthday, 12345, ABCDE, Password
- A password that is changed at least every 30 days, 14 days is better
- Don't put it under your keyboard, mouse pad, telephone, store it in your Rolodex under P, or worse yet on a post-it note on your monitor, and don't carry it in your wallet! What if it were stolen?
A secure login password could be defined as one that does not fit into any would-be intruder's "universe" of intelligible words, or permutations thereof. In other words, an ideally secure password must appear as noise, totally random characters, devoid of any information. Do not incorporate into a password any information which is known to others, because this information can make life just that much easier for an intruder. Names of people, streets, dictionary words, new events, are all known by others and can be guessed.
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