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Ten Steps to Protect your Passwords In the last 10 years, the internet has exploded into our lives. The off shoot is that we are managing hundreds if not thousands of passwords across a myriad of web sites and technologies. On top of all of that, there is no good way to manage all of these passwords. With so many passwords, we all have vulnerability. The only question is the size. Here is my practical Top 10 guide to keeping you and your family safe by properly managing your passwords.
1 Passwords should be stored between your ears.
2 Don't use guessable passwords
from public information.
The name of your wife and your children and your pets are public information. Although easy to remember, they are easy for others to surmise. Here's a trick. Open up a dictionary and open it up to a random word and use that word. You get the idea. You can check out this
list of passwords to avoid.
3 Never use the same password for everything.
Now that you keep all your passwords in your head (see Rule 1), the easiest solution is to remember one and only one password. WRONG. It's not that easy. The reason is that if someone can figure your password, then they have access to everything that is you. You have just become an identify theft victim of the highest order. This requires a lot of thought. The question is how many passwords are enough? Some people say that one should have a different password for each and everything you do. If you are going to follow Rule #1, the job becomes impossible even for a mathematical genius. It is a dicey game, but your goal is to maximize the number of passwords while still following Rule #1.
4 Don't let
Internet browsers store your passwords.
This is against Rule #1, remember? Yes, it makes your life a lot easier as you cruise from one web site to another without a speed bump. The problem is that you also have made it a lot easier for someone else to see all your most intimate stuff.
5 Be Careful when you answer secret questions.
Sarah Palin and the Twitter employee were "hacked" by accessing their secret questions. I don't like secret questions nor do I like web sites that use them. They are a security disaster waiting to happen. It is in violation of Rule #1. These are indeed scary times. Even today, when dealing with telephone support, they always ask a set of 'secret questions'. They usually are the last 4 digits of your credit card number, and your mother's maiden name. The problem is that it is not hard for a stranger to figure out these pieces of information.
6 Make your passwords long.
The longer your password the better. We all have been exposed to the password strength meter. I guess that old adage is finally true. Size does matter.
7 Type your password quickly.
I am fortunate because I type quickly. Going back to Rule #6, the slower you type, the longer your password should be. The reason is the same. It's not hard to figure out someone's password by looking at their fingers, particularly a slow typist.
8 Don't use public terminals.
I am guilty of this, and I will never do it again. Using public terminals might be fine for getting sports scores and the news, but after that you are running risks, you have no idea if the terminal has key logging software or other spyware that could be harvested at a later point of time.
9 Your email password is sacred.
Of all your passwords, your email password is the most important. Many sites use your email address as your user name. More importantly, almost all sites use your email address as a method of sending a forgotten/lost password. Therefore, if someone has compromised your email, they could go to all your favourite sites and submit that password to be remembered or reset. Then they have access to everything. Your email is the gateway to all of your other passwords.
10 Don't leave your PC logged on and unattended.
I don't care if you are at work, or the safety of home. Always log off your computer if you are going to be away. It is a good practice and a good habit to get into.
I could make a lot more rules, but there is an underlying point. Your passwords are a web of security holes. The larger or more complex you make the web, the lower your security vulnerability. There is no simple solution, and there is not one size solution for everyone. Some people have good memories. Some type fast. Some only visit a handful of sites. No matter who you are, please follow the above principles to reduce the chance of having your passwords, and potentially your life, violated.
This article was written by Chengrob in the Pitblog.
Emerging IT Security Threats in 2010 Antivirus is Not Enough
With the rise of polymorphic threats and the explosion of unique malware variants in 2009, the industry is quickly realising that traditional approaches to antivirus, both file signatures and heuristic/behavioral capabilities, are not enough to protect against today’s threats. We have reached an inflection point where new malicious programs are actually being created at a higher rate than good programs. As such, we have also reached a point where it no longer makes sense to focus solely on analysing malware. Instead, approaches to security that look to ways to include all software files, such as reputation-based security, will become key in 2010.
Social Networks as the Primary Attack Vector
More and more, attackers are going directly after the end user and attempting to trick them into downloading malware or divulging sensitive information under the auspice that they are doing something perfectly innocent. Social engineering’s popularity is at least in part spurred by the fact that what operating system and Web browser rests on a user’s computer is largely irrelevant, as it is the actual user being targeted, not necessarily vulnerabilities on the machine. Social engineering is already one of the primary attack vectors being used today. IT Security company Symantec estimates that the number of attempted attacks using social engineering techniques is sure to increase in 2010.
Rogue Security Software Vendors Escalate Their Efforts
In 2010, expect to see the propagators of rogue security software scams take their efforts to the next level, even by hijacking users’ computers, rendering them useless and holding them for ransom. A less drastic next step, however, would be software that is not explicitly malicious, but dubious at best. For example, Symantec has already observed some rogue antivirus vendors selling rebranded copies of free third-party antivirus software as their own offerings. In these cases, users are technically getting the antivirus software that they pay for, but the reality is that this same software can actually be downloaded for free elsewhere.
Social Networking 3rd Party Apps Will be the Target of Fraud
With the popularity of social networking sites poised for another year of unprecedented growth, expect to see fraud being leveraged against site users to grow. In the same vein, expect owners of these sites to create more proactive measures to address these threats. As this occurs, and as these sites more readily provide third-party developer access to their APIs, attackers will likely turn to vulnerabilities in third-party applications for users’ social networking accounts, just as we have seen attackers leverage browser plug-ins more as Web browsers themselves become more secure.
Shortage of Security, IT and Email Expertise
In a recent survey many respondents indicated that they struggled to find people with the necessary security, IT and email expertise.
Windows 7 is in the Cross-Hairs of Attackers
Microsoft has released the first security patches for the new operating system. As long as humans are programming computer code, flaws will be introduced, no matter how thorough pre-release testing is, and the more complex the code, the more likely that undiscovered vulnerabilities exist. Microsoft’s new operating system is no exception, and as Windows 7 hits the pavement and gains traction in 2010, attackers will undoubtedly find ways to exploit its users.
Fast Flux Botnets Increase
Fast flux is a technique used by some botnets, (Botnet is a a collection of software agents, or robots, that run autonomously and automatically) such as the Storm botnet, to hide phishing and malicious Web sites behind an ever-changing network of compromised hosts acting as proxies. Using a combination of distributed command and control and proxy redirection, it makes it difficult to trace the botnets’ original geo-location. As industry counter measures continue to reduce the effectiveness of traditional botnets, expect to see more using this technique to carry out attacks.
URL Shortening Services Become the Phisher’s Best Friend
Because users often have no idea where a shortened URL is actually sending them, phishers are able to disguise links that the average security conscious user might think twice about clicking on. Symantec is already seeing a trend toward using this tactic to distribute misleading applications and expect much more to come. Also, in an attempt to evade antispam filters through obfuscation, expect spammers to leverage shortened URLs shorteners to carry out their own evil deeds.
Mac and Mobile Smartphone Malware Will Increase
The number of attacks designed to exploit a certain operating system or platform is directly related to that platform’s market share, as malware authors are out to make money and always want the biggest bang for their buck. In 2009, we saw Macs and smartphones targeted more by malware authors, for example the Sexy Space botnet aimed at the Symbian mobile device operating system and the OSX.Iservice Trojan targeting Mac users. As Mac and smartphones continue to increase in popularity in 2010, more attackers will devote time to creating malware to exploit these devices.
As Spammers Adapt, Spam Volumes Will Continue to Grow
Since 2007, spam has increased on average by 15 percent and it is clear that spammers are not yet willing to give up as long an economic motive is present. So Spam volumes will continue to grow.
Instant Messaging Spam
As cybercriminals exploit new ways to bypass CAPTCHA technologies, instant messenger (IM) attacks will grow in popularity. IM threats will largely be comprised of unsolicited spam messages containing malicious links, especially attacks aimed at compromising legitimate IM accounts. By the end of 2010, Symantec predicts that one in 300 IM messages will contain a URL. Also, in 2010, Symantec predicts that overall; one in 12 hyperlinks will be linked to a domain known to be used for hosting malware. Thus, one in 12 hyperlinks appearing in IM messages will contain a domain that has been considered suspicious or malicious. In mid 2009, that level was 1 in 78 hyperlinks.
Shortage of Necessary Security, IT and Email Expertise
In a recent survey many respondents indicated that they struggled to find people with the necessary security, IT and email expertise.
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Getting and Staying Motivated in 2010
Bitter or Better
You choose your state. Nobody can make you feel anything by what they say, they can only invite a response. Bitterness is a poisoned chalice to be avoided. You choose.
Proper Selfishness
Mother Theresa promoted the expressions ‘Be happy anyway’ ‘Be successful anyway.’ Do it for yourself first. Once you’ve served yourself well you can better serve others. The best way to inspire others? Be inspired first.
Enjoy what you do…
Then you’ll do it better, quicker and more healthily. You will also pass on positivity and uplift. Attitude is infectious. Make sure yours is worth catching.
People can change
We can all think of people who have changed for the worse for one reason or another. Change works in the other direction too! When enough ‘key opinion formers’ in an organisation are positively mobilised – and a critical mass take action, rapid radical transformation can happen…
Remember your best day at work…ever
Use this to remind you what you truly value about your job, what excites you, quickens you and fulfils you. How can you achieve more of such feelings, more of the time in the job you do?
Lost in the dark wood…
This may be the price, according to Dante, of not being properly selfish. In Divine Commedia (1265-1321) he depicts a 13th century version of the mid-life crisis and the power of awakening while we still have time to make our lives truly meaningful for ourselves.
Count blessings
When you lose something, you tend to realise how precious it was, after it has gone. Count blessings. Value what you have now. Remind others to stay awake or dare to invite others to hear the call to personal adventure.
Make a picture…
in full sensaround… and then set about making the picture come true. What’s your picture for 2010? How clear and well-defined is it? How negotiable is it? What would it give you if it came true? What are you prepared to sacrifice to make it so? Is it audacious and stretching enough?
The Levers of Personal Change - the Prize
The size of the prize is bigger than the pain of the journey. ‘I can’ you believe it is possible for you. You have the wherewithal to succeed – the tools, plan, support, mindset and circumstances for out and out success.
Pressure
There’s enough Internal or External pressure to hold you to your commitment. Hemingway said, “Courage is grace under pressure.” Keats said we need ‘negative capability’ – the capacity to envisage how bad things could become were we not to take action – in order to make a truly significant impact on our circumstances.
Have a Single Simple Truth
Have a crisp and compelling statement of purpose for yourself, for your team that sticks in the memory easily.
For Clive Woodward’s World Cup winning rugby team, it was unsurprisingly
“Winning. That is why we are here.”
What’s your one word for 2010?
For Jesus it was:
‘I have come that they may have live and have it more abundantly’.
for You it can be:
'Today I
can have that abundant life'.
Make Your Garden Grow
Concentrate your positive efforts in your ‘garden’ – with those you love – in your family, those you work with and your neighbours around you. The first place to make a real positive difference is close to home Have maximum impact where you can. This impact will naturally spread outwith to others beyond.
Think positive, Speak positive, Get positive
Remember the life-giving, health-boosting power of a positive internal soundtrack. Choose a positive soundtrack when you wake up and set a positive programme running as you get up. Keep your daily greeting cheerful, your mobile phone messages upbeat and your comments and observations uplifting to receive.
Describe the behaviour you want from others (rather than using embedded negative commands – such as “Don’t forget to…” “Don’t worry too much about…” etc. pay compliments when they are due and practise using a positive – and sincere – lexicon when sending letters and emails. Writing gives you a great opportunity to practise, test and exercise your positive word power. Beware the good mood Hoovers. Avoid the drainers, be an energiser and radiate!
Communic8
Saying something once may be …interesting – but not necessarily memorable.
Say it many times in many different ways and it’s much more likely to be actively received by those you’re connecting with. Some psycholinguists believe that a child – on average – comes to own and know a word actively after they have received it passively seven times
Focus on the start
How we begin things often influences our state as we continue. Mental rehearsal, deliberate self preparation and a crisp well-executed start can set us up for success. Give special attention to how you begin meetings, projects, letters, emails, presentations etc.
Recognise, Praise, Reward
Create an environment where experimentation, innovation and risk-taking are rewarded and encouraged. F.A.I.L.= First Action In Learning. Play your part in nurturing confidence in your place of work.
Set Goals, have dreams and keep them alive
When you’ve taken the time and space and effort to decide what you want and write it down – and have signed your name against it, your commitment has already gained pace. The more detailed and clear your goal, the more definite your subconscious is about what you want and what it needs to do.
Anchor your determination
Find tactics to remind yourself of the power of positively,
your definite purpose and ‘future history’ for the coming year.
For example: A motto of the year:
Polish up your ‘Golden key’
Identify your halfway line marker between work and home…
the moment where you consciously and sub-consciously change modes.
Get the habit of ‘Last thought. Best thought’…
before you sleep.
Start the day with an attitude of gratitude.
Make your first email one of thanks someone for one thing they did the previous day.
Programme your best year yet –
with loved ones – on a vibrant collage.
Anchor yourself in a Higher Power
Find a source of life beyond yourself.
Draw your internal resources from a higher power;
Get your life in synchrony with the Divine.
That disturbing man from West Asia,
Jesus, is still inspiring and
is challenging many today.
He made offers to give us internal rivers of life.
People are still drawing from that offer of Jesus's today.
Maybe this is for you? You chose!
The Time is NOW...
‘Gather ye rosebuds while ye may’
Change happens instantly…in a heartbeat.
Preparation for change takes some people a long time of procrastination and analysis paralysis.
Best act with urgency. Rather than wait for perfection, act NOW and improve as you go!
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