Why You Should Use a Different Strong Password for Each of Your Accounts

Your online accounts are your gateway to the digital world. They hold your personal information, financial data, and other sensitive information. If a hacker were to gain access to one of your accounts, they could use that information to steal your identity, commit fraud, or even take control of your finances.

One of the best ways to protect your online accounts is to use strong, unique passwords for each one. This means that if one of your accounts is compromised, the hacker won’t be able to use the same password to access your other accounts.

So what makes a strong password? Here are a few tips:

• Make it long. The longer your password, the harder it will be for a hacker to guess. A good rule of thumb is to use at least 12 characters.
• Use a variety of characters. Your password should include a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. This will make it even harder for a hacker to guess.
• Don’t use personal information. Avoid using your name, birthday, or other personal information in your password. This information is often easy for hackers to find, making it easier for them to guess your password.
• Don’t use the same password for multiple accounts. This is one of the most important tips. If you use the same password for multiple accounts, and one of those accounts is compromised, then all of your accounts are at risk.

There are a number of different ways to create and store strong, unique passwords. You can use a password manager, which is a software application that helps you generate and store passwords. You can also use a passphrase, which is a short phrase that is easy to remember but difficult to guess.

No matter how you choose to create your passwords, it is important to make sure that they are strong and unique. This is one of the best ways to protect your online accounts and your personal information.

Additional tips for creating strong passwords:

• Avoid using dictionary words or common phrases. Hackers often use dictionaries or common phrases to try to guess passwords.
• Use a mixture of upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. This will make your password more difficult to guess.
• Don’t use anything that can be easily guessed from your personal information, such as your name, birthday, or address.
• Change your passwords regularly. This will help to protect your accounts if one of your passwords is compromised.
• Be careful about what information you share online. Hackers can use information that you share on social media or other websites to try to guess your passwords.

See Scam and Fraud Protection for 2023 for more information and make sure to Sign Up for our Scam Prevention Newsletter.

Use a Password on Your Computer to Protect Your Personal Data

Your computer contains a wealth of personal information, including your bank account numbers, credit card information, social security number, and other sensitive data. If someone were to gain unauthorized access to your computer, they could easily steal this information and use it to commit fraud or identity theft.

One of the best ways to protect your personal data is to use a password on your computer. A strong password will make it much more difficult for someone to guess or crack, and it will help to keep your information safe.

Here are some tips for creating a strong password:

• Use a combination of upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.
• Avoid using personal information, such as your name, birthday, or address.
• Make your password at least 12 characters long.
• Don’t use the same password for multiple accounts.

If you’re having trouble remembering your passwords, you can use a password manager. A password manager is a software application that stores your passwords in a secure location. You only need to remember one master password to access all of your other passwords.

In addition to using a password on your computer, there are other things you can do to protect your personal data. These include:

• Keeping your operating system and software up to date.
• Using a firewall to protect your computer from unauthorized access.
• Being careful about what websites you visit and what links you click on.
• Not opening attachments from unknown senders.

See Scam and Fraud Protection for 2023 for more information and make sure to Sign Up for our Scam Prevention Newsletter.

What is a Password Manager and Why Should I Use One?

A password manager is a software application that helps you store, generate, and manage your passwords. It does this by encrypting your passwords and storing them in a secure database. When you need to log in to a website or app, the password manager will automatically fill in your login credentials.

There are many reasons why you should use a password manager. First, it can help you create strong, unique passwords for all of your online accounts. This is important because using weak or reused passwords makes you more vulnerable to hacking. Second, a password manager can save you time and hassle. No longer do you have to remember dozens of different passwords. With a password manager, you can simply use one master password to access all of your accounts.

Third, a password manager can help you keep your passwords safe. The encryption used by password managers is very strong, and it is virtually impossible for hackers to break into your database. Additionally, many password managers offer two-factor authentication, which adds an extra layer of security to your accounts.

If you are serious about online security, then you should use a password manager. It is one of the best ways to protect your accounts from hackers.

Here are some of the benefits of using a password manager:

• Strong passwords: Password managers can help you create strong, unique passwords for all of your online accounts. This is important because using weak or reused passwords makes you more vulnerable to hacking.
• Convenience: Password managers can save you time and hassle. No longer do you have to remember dozens of different passwords. With a password manager, you can simply use one master password to access all of your accounts.
• Security: Password managers use strong encryption to protect your passwords. This makes it very difficult for hackers to break into your database.
• Portability: Many password managers offer mobile apps, so you can access your passwords on your phone or tablet.

Here are some of the things to consider when choosing a password manager:

• Security: The most important factor to consider is the security of the password manager. Make sure that the password manager uses strong encryption and two-factor authentication.
• Ease of use: The password manager should be easy to use. You should be able to easily create and manage your passwords.
• Features: The password manager should have the features that you need. For example, you may want a password manager that can generate strong passwords, autofill your login credentials, and sync your passwords across devices.

Apple's Password Manger

Apple’s password manager is called iCloud Keychain. It is a free, built-in password manager that is available on all Apple devices. iCloud Keychain allows you to store, generate, and manage your passwords across all of your Apple devices. It also supports two-factor authentication, which adds an extra layer of security to your accounts.

To use iCloud Keychain, you need to have an Apple ID and turn on iCloud Keychain in your device’s settings. Once you have turned on iCloud Keychain, you can start storing your passwords. iCloud Keychain will automatically ask you to save your passwords when you create a new account or log in to an existing account.  On iOS devices like iPhones and iPads, you can find the stored passwords in settings under passwords.

Here are some other popular password managers:

• 1Password
• 1Password
• LastPass
• Dashlane
• Keeper
• Bitwarden

See Scam and Fraud Protection for 2023 for more information and make sure to Sign Up for our Scam Prevention Newsletter.

Why You Should Require a Passcode, Biometric Fingerprint, or Face ID on Your Phone

Your smartphone is a valuable device that contains a wealth of personal information. It’s important to take steps to protect your phone from unauthorized access, and one of the best ways to do that is to require a passcode, biometric fingerprint, or Face ID.

What is a passcode?

A passcode is a short sequence of numbers or letters that you enter to unlock your phone. It’s important to choose a strong passcode that is difficult to guess. Some tips for creating a strong passcode include:

• Using a combination of numbers, letters, and symbols if you can.
• Avoiding using personal information that is easily guessed, such as your birthday or your address.
• Changing your passcode regularly.
• How to change your passcode on and iPhone

What is biometric authentication?

Biometric authentication uses your physical characteristics, such as your fingerprint or face, to identify you. This is a more secure way to unlock your phone than a passcode, because it’s much harder for someone to steal your fingerprint or face than it is to guess your passcode.

Why should you require a passcode, biometric fingerprint, or Face ID?

There are several reasons why you should require a passcode, biometric fingerprint, or Face ID on your phone:

• To protect your personal information. Your phone contains a wealth of personal information, including your contacts, email, photos, and financial information. If your phone is lost or stolen, anyone who finds it could access this information if it’s not protected by a passcode or biometric authentication.
• To prevent unauthorized access to your apps. Many apps require a passcode or biometric authentication to access them. This helps to prevent someone from accessing your apps without your permission.
• To protect your phone from malware. Malware can be used to steal your personal information or lock your phone. A passcode or biometric authentication can help to protect your phone from malware.

How to set up a passcode or biometric authentication

To set up a passcode or biometric authentication on your phone, follow these steps:

1. Go to your phone’s settings.
2. Tap on “Security” or “Biometrics & security.”
3. Tap on “Screen lock” or “Face ID & passcode.”
4. Enter your current passcode, if you have one.
5. Tap on “Set passcode” or “Add a fingerprint or Face ID.”
6. Follow the on-screen instructions to create a passcode or set up biometric authentication.

Additional tips for protecting your phone

• Keep your phone’s software up to date. Software updates often include security patches that can help to protect your phone from malware.
• Be careful about what apps you download. Only download apps from trusted sources, and be sure to read the app’s permissions before you install it.
• Use a VPN when you’re connected to public Wi-Fi. A VPN can help to protect your privacy and security when you’re using public Wi-Fi.
• Be careful about what information you share online. Don’t share your personal information, such as your Social Security number or your home address, online unless you absolutely need to.

See Scam and Fraud Protection for 2023 for more information and make sure to Sign Up for our Scam Prevention Newsletter.

iPhone Settings Apple ID Password and Security

 

Today's tutorial is on the iPhone Settings menu and how to change your Apple ID password and update your Apple ID security settings.

Key Tutorial Topics:

• Where do I find my password in the iPhone Settings App.
• How to change my password for my Apple ID.
• How to add trusted phone numbers for my Apple ID Password.

Get information on my next iPhone Tutorial Seminar

Next Tutorial: 

Previous Tutorial:

Go To: iPhone Tutorials Home Page for the full list and links to all my iPhone tutorials.

Secure your banking and financial logins

With COVID more and more of us have turned to using online tools to handle our banking and financial tasks. These are some tips you should follow:

HTTPS and Multi-factor Authentication

Whenever you are using a web browser like Safari, Chrome, Explorer or Fire fox, make sure the website you are accessing use using a secure connection. The website should be Https not just Http, the “s” stands for secure. You should also setup multi-factor identification. This is a second code sent to you smart phone or using one of the authenticator apps. This adds a second layer of protection for you accounts.

Fraud Notification and Account Alerts

Your financial institutions that issue credit and bank cards should offer the opportunity to turn on notifications should your card be used. For example I turn on fraud notification every time my credit card is used. It’s a simple text that notifies me of the purchase. You can also usually setup balance notifications when your funds are running low.

Use A Strong Password for Logging In

You should do this for all your accounts, but especially for your banking and financial accounts. Make sure it’s long and uses special characters.

--> Avoid these cash payment scams

<-- Beware of Customer Service Scams

<-- Watch out for tax scams

How to Manage Your Passwords

The internet, apps, website, everything and every place requires a password to login. Today each person has hundreds of logins where they need a passwords. Think about it, every app on your phone, your financial accounts, your emails, retailers, utilities and the list goes on. The prediction is that we will all need double the logins and passwords as we move forward.

Things to avoid when managing you password

Let’s put some rules in place, I’m sure you have heard these before. Don’t use simple passwords like “password” or "12345678. Don’t use the same password for multiple accounts. Don’t use short passwords. How about them pesky special characters.

Google and Facebook have made it easy, or have they? Many sites let you login using your Google or Facebook account. At first this seems like the easy thing to do but frankly I think it should be avoided. What happens if you choose to change or cancel your facebook or Google accounts, or maybe they are compromised, a hacker would have access to all of your accounts and logins. Better to use a secure email account as your login. One that has a very strong password.

Don’t store your passwords on your computer in a document or note! If a hacker finds there way into your computer, they have access to everything in your life!

Best Practice for managing your passwords

• Use a different strong password for every account. Don’t ever reuse a password!
• Change to a random generated set of numbers and letters. Best to use a password manager for this (see below)
• It’s OK to reset you password, do it often if you need to just follow the link and make sure you email password is very protected.
• Make sure you have an emergency contact who knows how and where you passwords are stored.

Use a Password Manager

I few years back I’ve resorted to a password manager. Because I was going between a Mac and Windows computer, iPhone and iPad I wanted something that worked in all browsers as well as on my portable devices, so I chose LastPass, mainly because they have a free version that worked everywhere. They also have Chrome and Safari add ins that automatically pull in my passwords. Others you may consider are McAfee, Keeper or if you are in the Apple ecosystem and only use apple products, think about just using the Apple Password Manager.

You can use the password manager built into Chrome, the problem I have with that is isn’t not transportable and requires the browser.

Writing this post has motivated me to change all my passwords to really long phrases like the lyrics to songs sprinkled with special characters $#@… I’m not ready for the full on random ones yet, maybe next year.

Use a Notebook for Passwords

If your not tech savvy, use a password notebook that you keep in a very secure place in your house. I wouldn’t carry it around with you and I wouldn’t use a notebook if you have visitors to your house. This should be a last resort.

--> Keep your computer secure

<-- Back to Technology Home Page