We thought we’d share a little more on password security.
We’ve previously posted a couple of articles on password and security
- ‘Phishing’ – Some Advice on Ataying Safe and Avoiding Scams
- TheGuardian.com article: How to sort out your passwords, privacy and bulging photo folder
and thought about some more useful information:
Check if your password has been exposed:
You can check if the password you use is a password that has been leaked online. There have been maybe big security breaches over the years where millions of data has been stolen, and the then published online. This site uses this data to create a database of known passwords that you can search for your password(s): https://haveibeenpwned.com/Passwords I have what I thought (quite sure) is very unique ‘trusted password’… but it is on the list. Time to change it for a new one.
Check if any accounts used with your email address have been exposed or compromised:
Avast is a reputable security company and they have put together a tool to check if your Linkedin, Facebook, Twitter, email, or other service etc. has been compromised. You’ll get an email with any negative results, and you can then reset the password (to a new secure password) or close the account with that service if you don’t still use it. https://www.avast.com/hackcheck/ – you don’t have to receive news and updates if you uncheck the button.
Don’t forget:
1) To reset the password to strong password. You can use a password generator like:
https://www.lastpass.com/features/password-generator#generatorTool to help make one.
2) To ensure your email account has two-factor login authentication (if possible) set up and all your details and recovery details and security questions are up to date and known to you.
Note: It’s not great to have passwords or login details written down, but it’s worth considering it is probably more secure to have something written down at home (in a code you know is a good idea), than to use a known or weak password.
If you have security issues or need help with passwords, accounts, logging in, setting up, etc. we can help (or with any IT issue), get in contact here
Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on Unsplash
