 Protect
your personal information. It's valuable.
Know who you're dealing with online.
Use anti-virus software, a firewall,
and anti-spyware software to help keep your computer safe
and secure.
Be sure to set up your operating
system and Web browser software properly, and update them
regularly.
Use strong passwords or strong
authentication technology to help protect your personal
information.
Back up important files.
Learn what to do if something goes
wrong.
Protect your
family & children online. |
Use strong passwords or strong authentication technology
to help protect your personal information.
Keep your passwords in a secure place, and out of plain
view. Don't share your passwords on the Internet, over
email, or on the phone. Your Internet Service Provider (ISP)
should never ask for your password.
In addition, without your knowledge, hackers may try to
figure out your passwords to gain access to your computer.
You can make it tougher for them by:
Using passwords that have at least eight
characters and include numerals and symbols.
Avoiding common words: some hackers use programs
that can try every word in the dictionary.
Not using your personal information, your
login name, or adjacent keys on the keyboard as
passwords.
Changing your passwords regularly (at minimum,
every 90 days).
Using a different password for each online
account you access (or at least a variety of
passwords with difficulty based on the value of
the information contained in each. |
One way to create a strong password is to think of a
memorable phrase and use the first letter of each word as
your password, converting some letters into numbers that
resemble letters. For example, "How much wood could a
woodchuck chuck" would become HmWc@wC.
To further increase the security of your online identity and
to help protect you from account hi-jacking, take advantage
of stronger authentication tools wherever available. This
may take the form of two-factor authentication – the
combination of a password or PIN number (something you know)
with a token, smart card, or even a biometric device
(something you have). Stronger authentication can also come
from a behind-the-scenes identity-verification process,
which uses various data to establish whether or not a user
is genuine. Ask your bank, your regular online retailers,
and your Internet Service Provider (ISP) if they offer
stronger authentication tools for more secure transactions.
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