Skip to main content

Change Your Password Day – February 1, 2024

 


National Change Your Password Day is celebrated annually on February 1st. It is a reminder to change your passwords regularly to keep your personal information safe.  Password security is a crucial aspect of online safety. Passwords are the first line of defense against cybercriminals and their access to your personal data. Over 86% of data breaches involve stolen passwords, take these steps when creating a secure password.

1.    Length: Use a password that is at least 8 characters long. Longer passwords are more difficult to crack than shorter ones.

2.    Complexity: Use a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Avoid using easily guessable information such as your name, birthdate, or phone number.

3.    Uniqueness: Use a different password for each of your accounts. This way, if one password is compromised, your other accounts will still be secure.

4.    Avoid common passwords: Avoid using common passwords such as “password”, “123456”, or “qwerty”. These passwords are easily guessable and can be cracked in seconds.

 

Password managers are also a useful tool to use. A password manager is a software that helps you create and store unique, complex passwords for all your online accounts. It is a secure and convenient way to manage your passwords and keep them safe from cybercriminals.

Password managers work by generating strong passwords for you and storing them in an encrypted database. You only need to remember one master password to access all your othepasswords. This way, you can use different passwords for each of your accounts without having to remember them all.

Some password managers also offer additional features such as two-factor authentication, password sharing, and password strength analysis.  They are available as standalone applications or as browser extensions, and as always if you need help with anything streaming or smart home related you can contact us at 309-778-8611 or by emailing us at OneSource@midcentury.com

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Stay connected with friends and family

  Three apps to help keep you connected The Covid-19 virus has us all spending a lot of time at home.   If you are doing it on your own, it can start to feel lonely.   Even for those who do have someone to pass the time with, we still miss our friends and family. Here are 3 free apps you can download today to help keep in touch with the ones you love. Skype Skype has been around a long time and is available on several devices, such as phones, tablets, PCs, and Macs.   Skype allows you to make video calls, chat by sending instant messages, share photos and videos, and even make voice calls.   Skype is great for large groups as you can have anywhere from 1 to 24 people in a video call. Facebook Messenger Messenger is a popular app for good reason. It is available on IOS, Android, Windows, and Mac.   The app will work well for pretty much every digital communication you may want to have with your friends and family. You can make video calls with up

Frndly TV: A new streaming service that offers wholesome, quality TV for less

What is Frndly TV? Frndly is a family friendly streaming service that offers both live and on-demand viewing of your classic family – friendly shows. What TV channels are available? Frndly TV offers live TV and more than 1,000 on-demand titles and content from 12 different channels, with the possibility of expanding to 20 channels over the next year. The 12 channels are: BabyFirst TV Game Show Network Hallmark Channel Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Hallmark Drama Light TV Outdoor Channel PixL QVC Sportsman Channel The Weather Channel World Fishing Network   How much does it cost? Frndly TV offers a tier-based pricing system starting at $5.99/month to $9.99/month. $5.99/month: With the base price users will have access to Frndly TV in standard definition on one device at a time. You also get access to the Look Back feature, which allows you to go back and watch programming from the last 72 hours. $7.99/mo

Why are there flags in my yard?

     One day you may be surprised to come home to colorful flags in your yard or even the grass spray painted. You don't remember calling 811, so what could this mean? More than likely one of your neighbors has called and requested JULIE ( Joint Utility Locating Information for Excavators.) , or a utility company is doing repairs and maintenance. That's right, even though the work may not be for your property, responsible do-it-yourselfers and companies want to make sure that no underground asset gets hit when the work gets underway on the properties next door. So, don't be alarmed if a locator shows up to your home one day to let you know that they'll be marking your yard. The alternative could add up to costly repairs or even injuries.  What is 811? "811 is the national call-before-you-dig phone number. Anyone who plans to dig should call 811 or go to their state 811 center’s website before digging to request that the approximate location of buried utilities be