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Creating A Good Password
by “The Coach” (Contributing Editor)
The past couple of months have seen some remarkable problems with computer security.
We have seen Target, 7-Eleven, Citibank, J. C. Penny, The Home Depot and many other stores and companies secured computers hacked and financial information and passwords taken by unknown persons and/or governments.
I thought I had a good computer security system and firewall set up. Then I learned that one of the most secure computer systems in the world, the “United States Pentagon” had been hacked and massive amounts of information stolen.
It was then that I figured it was time to call the companies that I have credit card with and my bank (debit card) to obtain new and updated credit and debit cards. I had NO problems obtaining new account numbers and cards.
However, I have started using cash currency to purchase as much as I can. I do not purchase anything over the internet any longer. If I find something on line that I want to purchase, I get the companies phone number from their “Contact” information. I then call the company over a land line telephone and place my order. The old saying “Cash is king!” is coming back.
On 9/10/14, I learned that G-Mail had 5 million G-Mail e-mail addresses and their passwords hacked and leaked by “Bitcom Security” a Russian website. The article also said that other Google services such as “Drive” and “Google Wallet” a mobile payment system had been hacked also.
Read the below listed article by clicking on the e address. At the very bottom of the article, you can check to see if your account has been affected.
http://fusion.net/modern_life/story/millions-gmail-accounts-hacked-1036842
So, what constitutes a good password? Your password should contain the following:
- Should contain at least twelve (12) characters.
- Should have at least three (3) numbers.
- Should have at least five (5) letters. Should have upper case and lower case letters in it. However, the upper case and lower case letters should be out of place.
- Should have at least two (2) punctuation marks. Such as ?, ., :, !, ;, etc.
- Should have at least two (2) special characters @, #, $, %, ^, &, *.
- More is better. The above should be considered a minimum.
So what should a good minimal password look like?
Example: 3s&rH?6P#4!t
(Do NOT use the above password)
You should NEVER use something that is familiar to you, such as your wife’s or children’s name, their dates of birth, your current or past addresses that you have lived at or any other word or number that can be linked to you.
Never use the same password for more than one (1) account.
Never use one of those online password safes to keep your varied passwords. If it is hacked, they have everything to access all of your accounts.
Never use any word that is in ANY dictionary. There are computer programs that run every word in multiple dictionaries to determine if any of those words are used in your password.
Optionally you should change your password once a month and NEVER use the same password twice.
I am told that you should never write down your passwords. However, I can never remember a good crafted password for the multiple accounts that I have. Much less when I am changing them on a monthly basis. I keep a small note book that easily fits in my pocket. There I have listed the account names, passwords and date that I change them. When I am home, I lock that password book in my safe.
Also, NEVER and I mean NEVER give anyone, including your close family members, access to your passwords!
Another idea is NEVER save anything to the hard drive on your computer. Save all of your information and photographs to memory sticks/thumb drives.
Quote
Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead.
Benjamin Franklin
Source: http://modernsurvivalonline.com/creating-a-good-password/
