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Choosing a good password is one of the simplest but most important things you can do to protect yourself from hackers. Your password helps you prove who are on the internet. You should be the only one who knows your password. Never tell anyone, not even a system adminstrator, your password. Compromised passwords are the number one way people gain access to something they shouldn't. Someone logging on under your name has access not only to your computer files, but to most of the facilities of the computer system. Since tampering can have far-reaching and serious consequences, it's important to take to heart the following guidelines for choosing a password.
1. Do choose...
A) Something easy for you to remember with at least 6 characters but no more than 16 characters. You should never write down your password.
B) Something obscure. For instance, you may mistakenly misspell a term or use an odd character in an otherwise familiar term. Instead of "loser" you may use "luzer" or "luser". Something to that nature.
C) A combination of letters and numbers, or a phrase like "many colors" and then use only the consonants, "mnYc0l0rz".
D) You should always mix letters and numbers. Instead of "luser" you may want to use something like "luser83". Make sure the numbers are random and no pattern can be found between the numbers are any other nubers that a hacker may be able to gather important to you(i.e. telephone number, social security number, street number).
2. Don't choose...
A) Your name in any form -- first, middle, last, maiden, spelled backwards, nickname or initials.
B) Your userid, or your userid spelled backwards.
C) Part of your userid or name.
D) Any common name, such as Joe.
E) The name of a close relative, friend, or pet.
F) Your phone or office number, address, birthday, or anniversary.
G) Your license-plate number, your social-security number, or any all numeral password.
H) Names from popular culture(i.e. spock, scotty, scooby)
I) Any word in a dictionary.
J) Passwords of fewer than four characters.
3. Changing your password
It is important to change your password often. At least once a month you should change your password. Never let it stay the same to often.
I hope you have learned a little something about choosing a good password. It may be simple, but it is the best beginnings to becoming secure. Choose what ever you will as a password, but remember, choose wisely.
Note: by Kleenedge |
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