Welcome back to my 2-part series on identity protection. My first post struck a nerve with many individuals, as numerous of my friends and followers have commented on their concerns. Identity theft is real and can happen to almost anyone, regardless of who you are or what your financial status. Hackers don’t know you personally.
Today I will provide several tips for securing your personal accounts using your password. Here are my BIG 3 that everyone should employ:
- STOP using the same password for all your accounts! Keep in mind, if a “less than moral” individual hacks into your account and realizes you have potentially other accounts of value, that person will definitely pursue those accounts. Once he/she has access, they will focus immediately on you and aggressively pursue your other accounts. With identity protection at an all-time high, the hackers know they must “steal” as much as possible, as soon as possible. If you use the same password, you just made the hacker’s job much easier.
- SECURE, make sure you use a password with a minimum of 8 characters, at least 1 upper case letter and a minimum of 1 special character. @ signs, # hashtags, ! exclamation points and & ampersands make the job of password hacking much more difficult. Hackers often use specifically generated software to do their searching for them, once an account is compromised, they go to work.
- ACCOUNTS, check all of your accounts regularly to ensure their security is intact. Early detection can save tons of money and months of frustration. Hindsight is always 20/20 with this one.
If you are concerned about your online identity, give me a call and I will do an evaluation of your situation. I will provide you with a professional assessment and recommendations to protect your information and keep you safe. I can provide implementation services if needed.
John McCann
704-662-6845
John McCann & Associates, Inc.
IT Management for Small Business
Computer Services, Solutions & Support
www.McCannAssociates.com