Tag: passwords

$39 Billion dollars stolen online in 2011

by Mario Armstrong

So much of the information we put online is in a dangerous position—hackers are looking to break into email accounts more than ever to get at your sensitive data. In my recent appearance on CNN, I talk about choosing a hack-free password and also give some tips on how you can find out if you’ve been hacked already. With over $39 BILLION dollars stolen from online fraud and scams in 2011, staying safe is now more important than ever. Worried already? I talk about this on CNN, but it’s worth repeating: you can use websites like pwndlist today to see if your data is already online.

And choose a good password! I can’t say this enough, but if you can’t remember strong passwords and use different, strong passwords for every important account you have (email, banking, etc.) then you need to look into a password management system. I’m not going to do your homework for you, but services like Keepass and 1password can securely manage a database of all of your passwords. But don’t take my word for it—do your own research and if you’re struggling to remember all these crazy passwords, then a password management system might be right for you.

You wouldn’t give a stranger the keys to your cashbox, why give them the keys to your Twitter? Choose strong passwords and change them often

by Mario Armstrong

So maybe you’re doing a few things right. Maybe you’re choosing long passwords, maybe you avoid using your kid’s names in your passwords, maybe you’ve never used a birthdate either! That’s great, but that’s only one piece to choosing a good password. How often do you change it? A strong password is only good until someone else gets ahold of it. And then, how do you memorize all these crazy passwords? In my latest video on HLNtv, I try and provide some easy-to-follow answers to these questions so that you can make sure you’re completely protected.