Personal Insurance Blog

Online Passwords: Are You Safe?

It's crazy to think how far we've come in a such a short amount of time. Just look at this past century alone- we got man on the moon! But one thing people in this day and age take for granted is our computer technology. We've got computers, laptops, tablets, smart phones, etc. all with access to the internet, a place for sharing data and information. That's good and all, spreading ideas and news, but one thing that you don't want shared is your passwords for online accounts.

Many online accounts, especially banking accounts, require extra information to log in online, such as a PIN number that can be emailed to you. But if somebody else has access to your email, what's the point in that?

So, in order to protect yourself, here are some helpful hints about password security:

Common Passwords

Make good secure online passwords with personal insurance from Andrew G Gordon inc

There are some very, VERY common passwords out there. And if you have one of these as your password, please change it now before I bang my head against a wall.

  • password
  • 123456
  • qwerty
  • abc123
  • letmein
  • trustno1

Or if your password is similar in style to these passwords but not exactly the same ("password1", "654321", "qwertyuiop", etc.) then do yourself a favor and change your password. Hackers go for easy targets, and if you were a hacker too then I know you'd appreciate the person whose password is as easy as "already hacked".

Randomness

Randomness can be not-so-random if you're trying to protect yourself. Do not make passwords that include your first, middle, or last name, your street name, your phone number, your social security number, your birthday, or any other random personal information.

Security Questions

When it comes to security questions to receive/change a forgotten password, pick something more difficult than: "What is your mother's maiden name?" That information can be easily found out, and it can open many doors for hackers that you'll want to stay closed. Instead, choose a security question that only you know the answer to for additional protection.

Mix It Up

Having the same password for multiple online accounts can be summarized in two words: BAD IDEA. Use different passwords for different accounts so as to not compromise all your accounts in one go. And don't vary them by simply a letter, number or symbol ("password1" vs "password2" vs "password!"), make them different enough. One smart idea is to invest in a small password journal to keep at home. This journal is something that cannot be hacked. However, it can be stolen- so make sure you keep it in a safe place. The likelihood of a hacker breaking into your house just so he/she can steal your passwords is slim; they would much rather go after another person whose passwords to everything are "letmeinnow".

Keep your information safe and prevent hackers from messing up your life. As Ben Franklin once said, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."

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