Lock Down Your Password

Passwords. We all have them. From email accounts to bank accounts, passwords are used on a daily basis to gain access to pretty much everything. Who else is seeking opportunities to gain access to your accounts? Cyber criminals.

Cybercrimes are nothing new but continues to be difficult to crack down on due to the fact that these criminals use the internet making it easier for them to do things anonymously and from any location.

A password is only useful if known by the individual or authorized user. Once access is granted, that account is no longer secure. Even worse is if users use the same password for all of their accounts. Once one account is accessed by a non-authorized user, it is highly likely that the other accounts are in jeopardy as well.

So what are steps you can take to help protect your privacy and identity from these criminals? MIT suggests creating unique and strong passwords for every account along with these helpful tips:

• Change your password at regular intervals.

• Use a strong password.
• Never tell anyone your password or hinting at it, not even to friends, colleagues, system administrators, and account managers.
• Pick a password you can remember and don't need to write down.
• Lock your screen or log out when stepping away from a computer, especially in a public area.
• Use a temporary password when using a public computer or a public network to access confidential information.
• Ignore requests by websites or browsers to "remember" your password