Internet security has become a huge issue in the past couple of years. The recent Sony network hack has caused debates among many network security companies. Internet users are beginning to question the level of security for major sites, wondering if their personal information is truly safe. If you want to avoid being hacked, there are steps you can take towards protecting your information. Consider these tips....
1. Use A Strong Password
A strong password will prevent hackers from gaining access to your account information. Strong passwords usually contain 15 characters, a mix of numbers and symbols, and it must be a name or phrase that is not common. Never use your social security number, birth date, or names of friends and family.
If you have trouble creating your own strong password, you can use a strong password generator to create a strong password for you.
2. Never Select "Remember This Password"
This tip is more for Microsoft XP users. Often times, when you input a new username and password for a site, Windows will ask you if you want to save that password for that site. If you are not using your own secured computer, never select that option.
3. Clear all information and cookies
If you are using a public computer and need to access sites that require a password, make sure you always clear the history and cookies for that computer before you leave it. Another person can easily review the history of that computer and gain access to keystroke programs that record all of your keystrokes, including passwords and usernames. Of course, many public computers already have safeguards in place to prevent things like this from happening. Still, you must always take your security into your own hands, just in case.
Most of the time, if you stay conscious about your password security, you can avoid being hacked. Some simple measures are all it takes to keep hackers from gaining access to your personal information.
