Articles

Welcome to Occasional Technology. My name is Irvin Hayes Jr. and I have been working with computers and supporting users for over 15 years. During this time, I have come across a lot of useful tips that I have shared with my customers and now I would like to share them with you. My plan is to publish a newsletter once a month with a useful tips that you can use in your day to day activities with computers and technology. You can also share your tips with the readers of this newsletter, ask questions or add comments on the newsletter. So I hope you enjoy reading this and many more newsletters to come.

I Can't Remember My Password!

How many times have you said this to yourself? You use passwords all the time when you are using your computer, surfing the Internet and on your company network. Just take a second to think about all of the passwords you have: online banking, credit card logins, email accounts, online bill paying, online shopping accounts and tons of others. Do you use the same password for each of theses accounts? I hope not. It isn't a good idea in this day and age when identity theft is on the rise. Using the same password and even login name can be dangerous when it comes to protecting your privacy. Now not only do you have to keep up with your password, but a lot of sites are having you verify an image and/or use multiple security questions which you also have to remember. How are we expected to remember all these passwords?

What do you do to keep track of or remember your passwords?

• Use a document or spreadsheet to hold all of your passwords.
• Store them on a piece of paper.
• Use your PDA or Smart Phone.

Creating a strong password.

Creating a good strong password is key to keeping your accounts and privacy safe. Here are a few tips when creating your own passwords:

• Passwords should be a 8 or more characters in length. 12 - 14 characters is the ideal length.
• Use a mixture of upper and lower case letters, symbols (!, %,$,#) and numbers.
• Do not use repeating characters or numbers in the password.
• Do not use birthdays, full names of kids, relatives or pets.
• Change your password on a regular basis. Every 60-90 days would be a good starting point.

Keep your passwords safe.

• Never tell anyone your password. This include friends and family members.
• Do not log into accounts on computers you don't control. This includes internet cafes, libraries, computer labs, shared systems, kiosk systems, conferences, and airport lounges should be considered unsafe for any personal use other than anonymous Internet browsing.
• Never send your password in an email.
• Protect any recorded passwords. If you have your passwords printed, make sure that it is placed in a safe location in your home. You don't want guest or others finding your login information.