January 2016 Tech Tips – New Year, New Passwords!

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Here are your Tech Tips for the month of January to help you be more productive. As always, reach out anytime! We are here to help. 

It’s a new year, time to re-vamp things! Why not make strengthening your online security a priority? As cyber-criminal activity evolves at the same rate as our technology, it is never a bad idea to change up your passwords. Below we have highlighted the most important things to keep in mind when updating your passwords, and maintaining your security: 

  • Never give your password to anyone. One of the best things about a brand new password, is the peace of mind in knowing that only you have it.
  • Use a minimum of 8-12 characters, and be sure to include numbers, symbols, and capital letters.
  • Don’t fall for phishing attacks! Be extremely cautious before clicking on a link that asks you to log in, change your password, or provide any other personal information.
  • Use multi-factor authentication when it is available. Many websites offer an option that requires you to further verify your identity after logging in from an unrecognized device.
  • Don’t use one password for everything!
  • Utilize a password manager. Keeping track of multiple passwords can get confusing, using a secure password manager is a great solution for this problem. Check out some of the best ones currently on the market, here.

These are some of the most basic, yet important, tips to remember for staying safe and creating new passwords. For more, check out what TIME Magazine has deemed as the top 25 worst and most commonly used passwords of 2015, here.

Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions!