March 26, 2010, Newsletter Issue #194: Dos and Donīts of Passwords

Tip of the Week

Here are some doīs and donīts when choosing a password. Information security demands that you choose a password that will be difficult to guess.
Donīts
1. Donīt use your login name in any form (as-is, reversed, capitalized, doubled, etc.).
2. Donīt use your first or last name in any form. Donīt use use your spouseīs or childīs name.
3. Donīt use other information easily obtained about you. This includes license plate numbers, telephone numbers, social security numbers, the brand of your automobile, the name of the street you live on, etc.
4. Donīt use a password of all digits, or all the same letter. This significantly decreases the search time for a cracker.
5. Donīt use a word contained in English or foreign language dictionaries, spelling lists, or other lists of words. Donīt use a password shorter than six characters.

Doīs
1. Do use a password with mixed-case alphabetic characters.
2. Do use a password with nonalphabetic characters, e.g., digits or punctuation.
3. Do use a password that is easy to remember, so you donīt have to write it down.
4. Do use a password that you can type quickly, without having to look at the keyboard.

This makes it harder for someone to steal your password by watching over your shoulder.

About LifeTips

Now one of the top on-line publishers in the world, LifeTips offers tips to millions of monthly visitors. Our mission mission is to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. Expert writers earn dough for what they know. And exclusive sponsors in each niche topic help us make-it-all happen.

Exclusive Sponsor

You don’t need to understand the Internet to protect your family. Bsafe Online’s reliable, always current Internet filtering software and porn blocker technology makes it easy to stop pornographers, hackers, trojans and other threats in their tracks.

http://www.bsafehome.com/

Not finding the advice and tips you need on this Internet Safety Tip Site? Request a Tip Now!


Guru Spotlight
Alexis Niki