Passwords

Are you using ‘strong’ passwords?

About once a month we receive a call from a client asking to change all of their access information… account admin, email, ftp, cloud control panel access, dns services, domain name registration information, and anything else that has a password associated with it. Each month we tell them that they can reset their passwords for access through the control panel and end up spending about an hour walking them through it. While it is a bit cumbersome to change all of your account info so often, it is a very good idea. I recently asked them if they changed all of their info with online banking, portal access (like MyYahoo, Google, iTunes, etc.) so frequently. They do. He proceeded to tell me that he has a little black book that he keeps in his desk with records of everything. HELLO! He works in an office with over 100 other people. Does anyone else see a problem with this?

Regardless, it is a great idea to change your passwords every 30 to 90 days just to be safe. Here are some other tips from a recent PingZine! article:

  • Use special characters like $#@!%^&#$
  • Never give your password to anyone
  • Never reply to an official looking email asking for your password or access info
  • Clear your browser history
  • Use spyware detection software (Windows comes standard with it – check out security essentials)
  • Don’t save your passwords on your computer, post-it notes stuck to your computer, or anywhere else.  Keep them in your head.
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