Wait! Don’t click away just because you think this is one more boring article about online security and who has time for that and how can you remember all the passwords and you don’t need one more thing to do.
Yes, this is another reminder about protecting yourself online, but trust us, this is sage advice. Nothing offers ironclad prevention against devious black hat hackers, but password protection and recovery options will offer you more protection than using the same password you’ve used since the birth of the Internet.
Step One: Update your passwords for PPX and HUB on a quarterly basis.
We know, we know, it’s a hassle and it’s hard to be creative. A simple Google search will offer you a wide variety of tips and tricks to make password generation less painful. A few very smart tips:
- Set a calendar reminder to change your passwords.
- Don’t use the same password for all your accounts.
- Establish a base code for your passwords. (e.g., all passwords end in the current year plus your age)
- Don’t use obvious information such as your name, birthday, or address.
Step Two: Take time to set up your security questions and/or recovery options.
Don’t skip this step, thinking you’ll do it later. Chances are good most of us won’t! Setting up security questions (PPX) and recovery options (HUB) is one more way to thwart pesky hackers from accessing your account. Even if they somehow access your username and password, this second step can bring them to a screeching halt.
No one wants to deal with online security, but none of us can afford the potential consequences. Go ahead: Take a few minutes to complete these two security steps, then move on with your day!