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The basics of staying safe online
Feb 2, 2013 1:23:10 GMT
Post by Patrick [ASE] on Feb 2, 2013 1:23:10 GMT
After reading the guidelines on Safetynet, there's a lot you can do to protect any account online. Obviously you don't want anyone else to know your passwords, not even any members of your family, if you take for example your brother or sister, you may get on very well, always hang out together etc, but there's always that small possibility that you can fall out, that's the time your account is vulnerable, once on your account they can pretend to be you, and cause your account to be banned or otherwise damaged.
Also ensure that each password is different, or at least categorise passwords in order of importance. What do i mean by categorising ?
Main email - This should be unique, not used anywhere else.
Finance accounts - These are the vulnerable ones that could cause you harm, must be different from email and from each other, remember that shopping accounts come into this category.
Main accounts - Sites that you post on maybe, if someone got on your account they could get you banned or worse, try to make each password different, even if it's just one or more character changes.
Other accounts - these may be just a few websites that you use, the type you log into to get information, but you don't post on, no real harm done if someone else gets on, you could use a common password for all of them,
So, how do you remember all of these ?
You could write them down on paper, but paper gets lost or damaged, for many of the accounts you could simply remember a few key words you use, and know the variations.
There's usually a 'forgot password' feature, that's why keeping your emeil very secure is important, or even having another email for important ones.
One good way is to use a memory stick, write passwords on 'Notepad' and save to the stick, i suggest making them a little encrypted, just the keyword or a 'reminder', then use something like a number that you easily remember.
Example: you may be able to remember an old phone number (1234 5678), this number would be committed to memory, not writen down, so how about using '3456' in conjunction with the key word you saved for each account.
Your email keyword might be 'mailman', just add the numbers so it's 345mailman6, or mix the numbers like 'm3a4i5l6man', be creative, and it becomes easy. (mailman would be too obvious, but you get the idea)
When you go to your mail, don't trust anything, not even an email from a good friend, did your friend even send it ?
If your friend isn't as secure as you, their email could be compromised with a virus or trojan, some will send out emails to anyone in the addressbook, that's why i don't use the default one, again notepad or an office app (not the address book, but maybe a spreadsheet), and save securely.
So yeah, an email from a firend with an attachment might be harmful, check it out first, ask your friend if you get suspicious.
Keyloggers: there's been a lot of concern about these, look around for 'anti keylooger', you may find software available, make sure you get the software from a reputable site like 'download.com', the other alternative is a keyboard with anti keylogging built in, Logitech make a few, i use on myself, but make sure it's enabled before doing any password stuff.
Also ensure that each password is different, or at least categorise passwords in order of importance. What do i mean by categorising ?
Main email - This should be unique, not used anywhere else.
Finance accounts - These are the vulnerable ones that could cause you harm, must be different from email and from each other, remember that shopping accounts come into this category.
Main accounts - Sites that you post on maybe, if someone got on your account they could get you banned or worse, try to make each password different, even if it's just one or more character changes.
Other accounts - these may be just a few websites that you use, the type you log into to get information, but you don't post on, no real harm done if someone else gets on, you could use a common password for all of them,
So, how do you remember all of these ?
You could write them down on paper, but paper gets lost or damaged, for many of the accounts you could simply remember a few key words you use, and know the variations.
There's usually a 'forgot password' feature, that's why keeping your emeil very secure is important, or even having another email for important ones.
One good way is to use a memory stick, write passwords on 'Notepad' and save to the stick, i suggest making them a little encrypted, just the keyword or a 'reminder', then use something like a number that you easily remember.
Example: you may be able to remember an old phone number (1234 5678), this number would be committed to memory, not writen down, so how about using '3456' in conjunction with the key word you saved for each account.
Your email keyword might be 'mailman', just add the numbers so it's 345mailman6, or mix the numbers like 'm3a4i5l6man', be creative, and it becomes easy. (mailman would be too obvious, but you get the idea)
When you go to your mail, don't trust anything, not even an email from a good friend, did your friend even send it ?
If your friend isn't as secure as you, their email could be compromised with a virus or trojan, some will send out emails to anyone in the addressbook, that's why i don't use the default one, again notepad or an office app (not the address book, but maybe a spreadsheet), and save securely.
So yeah, an email from a firend with an attachment might be harmful, check it out first, ask your friend if you get suspicious.
Keyloggers: there's been a lot of concern about these, look around for 'anti keylooger', you may find software available, make sure you get the software from a reputable site like 'download.com', the other alternative is a keyboard with anti keylogging built in, Logitech make a few, i use on myself, but make sure it's enabled before doing any password stuff.