Home > Blogs > Kerrie La Guardia > Kerrie's World

Protect Yourself - Change Your Passwords

By Kerrie La Guardia

Services for Real Estate Pros with ActiveRain, Community Manager

December 05, 2013 02:09 AM

News hit today that millions of passwords were hacked from Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+, Yahoo and other outlets. Check out the full article here.

What kills me is that most of the passwords were....drumroll please...password! or 123456. Really? Using passwords like that are useless and not protecting yourself one bit.

Do yourself a favor and change your passwords. The last thing we need this time of year (or anytime really) is someone getting their hands on our information. Protect yourself and use something a little more creative than "password" please!

Re-Blog

Comments(18)

Comment

Show All Comments Sort:

Lottie Kendall

Compass - San Francisco, CA

Helping make your real estate dreams a reality

My passwords are better than those by a long shot, but I still need to clean them up; change some around, and get a better handle on them.

Should I hope real estate remains slow through the month so I have time to do all the back-end stuff I need to do? Double edge sword, huh?

Dec 05, 2013 02:13 AM

Bryan Robertson

Los Altos, CA

I did a comprehensive review of all passwords and changed absolutely everything after a breach. All passwords are not unique, varied and cryptic on purpose to ensure security.

Dec 05, 2013 02:21 AM

Beth and Richard Witt

New York, NY

The best Retired Brokers !!!!

Good advise Kerrie... thanks for the reminder...

Dec 05, 2013 02:35 AM

Phil Stevenson, CRMP

PS Mortgage Lending 305-791-4874 or 888-845-6630 - Miami, FL

"Mortgage Nerd" in Miami, Florida and Texas

Thanks for the advice Kerrie! Not to be mean about it, but using 123456 as a password this day and age is definitely asking for trouble. Either way, time make those passwords more complicated and harder to remember...

Dec 05, 2013 03:38 AM

Joan Cox

House to Home, Inc. - Denver Real Estate - 720-231-6373 - Denver, CO

Denver Real Estate - Selling One Home at a Time

Kerrie, it is amazing when I hear people have such easy passwords, and then complain when they get hacked. I have so many, cannot keep track of them!

Dec 05, 2013 06:05 AM

Tanya Van Blake-Coleman

Van Blake-Coleman Realty, St. Thomas/www.talk-to-Tanya.com - St Thomas, VI

Improving the Quality of Your Life

Boy, people are so busy. If they would only put their time and skills into some thing productive.

Like all the fine work you and the rest of the Active Rain Staff have put in over the years!

Thank you.

Dec 05, 2013 06:37 AM

William Feela

WHISPERING PINES REALTY - North Branch, MN

Realtor, Whispering Pines Realty 651-674-5999 No.

I have had clients show me stuff that they have as privare and the same combo's come up often.

Dec 05, 2013 07:21 AM

Chris Ann Cleland

Long and Foster Real Estate - Gainesville, VA

Associate Broker, Bristow, VA

Some of my passwords are so unique that I can forget them if I don't write them down and store them in the safe.

Dec 05, 2013 07:29 AM

John Meussner

Catalyst Mortgage - Fair Oaks, CA

#MortgageMadeEasy Fair Oaks, CA 484-680-4852

Reminds me of a great scene from the movie Spaceballs. If you're not familiar, it's worth a laugh https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6iW-8xPw3k

Dec 05, 2013 08:07 AM

Kerrie La Guardia

ActiveRain, Community Manager - Kirkland, WA

Let it Rain!

John - Oh my goodness that bit is perfect for this!! Lol, love this movie!

Dec 05, 2013 08:14 AM

Mitch Muller - Charlotte NC Real Estate

ProStead Realty Charlotte, NC CRS SRES mitch@prostead.com - Charlotte, NC

Certified Residential Specialist

Oh my! These hackers beat all I ever seen sometime. You'd think if they were this smart, they could get a REAL, HONEST JOB!!!

Dec 05, 2013 10:27 AM

Jay Markanich

Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA

Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

So, more digits is better? How about 123456789? Bummer, I just checked, and my luggage combo strip doesn't go that high.

Crap.

Dec 05, 2013 08:05 PM

Frank Iglesias

Working With Houses, LLC - Atlanta Real Estate Investments - Lawrenceville, GA

Atlanta, GA Real Estate Investor

Brilliant Kerrie, thanks for the reminder!

Dec 05, 2013 08:36 PM

Jeff Fritzson: Frisco Real Estate Pro

Jeff Fritzson Real Estate, Ebby Halliday Realtors - Frisco, TX

Your Success is My Focus!

Don't fret about remembering them. If you can remember one then get yourself a secure password manager. This will give you secure access to a "safe" where you can store all your other passwords. Just google "best password managers" add ios, android, apple or windows etc... for a more detailed search.

Dec 05, 2013 10:53 PM

Toni Weidman

Sailwinds Realty - Trinity, FL

20+ Years Selling Homes in New Port Richey, FL

I can't believe that people actually use password as their password, Kerrie. do they have no imagination?

Dec 06, 2013 07:18 AM

Joe Jackson

Keller Williams Capital Partners Realty - Columbus, OH

Clintonville and Central Ohio Real Estate Expert

Pa#%sWo**!!d may be a good password!!! or d$Ro##ws++A!P may be better!

Dec 09, 2013 07:24 PM

Paul S. Henderson, REALTOR®, CRS

Fathom Realty Washington LLC - Tacoma, WA

South Puget Sound Washington Agent/Broker!

How many times have we heard that story? Dang Hackers! I wish tech could save us from my 598 passwords!

Dec 11, 2013 05:23 AM

Kathy Streib

Cypress, TX

Retired Home Stager/Redesign

Kerrie- don't know how I missed this one but just happened to change one of my email passwords the other day. Thanks for the heads up.

Dec 11, 2013 11:15 AM

Protect Yourself - Change Your Passwords

Comments(18)

Kerrie La Guardia

Service Areas

Real Estate Resources

Recent Posts