![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.getrichslowly.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/5-ways-to-keep-your-financial-information-safer-from-hackers.jpg\" "\\"5")
<\/div>\nAlthough I hope no Get Rich Slowly readers are using any of these passwords currently, “123456” and “password” are among the most common passwords chosen. And “Max” and “Bella”? Those are some of the most popular pet names; and since pet names are commonly used too — Well \u2026<\/p>\n
I am no hacker, and I spend very little time thinking about hackers. I wouldn’t hack into someone else’s information, so why would anyone think about hacking into my information?<\/p>\n
It happens. Every day, it happens to ordinary citizens. Tomorrow it may be you or me. Are we being as smart as possible online to protect our financial information?<\/p>\n
While these tips will not always refer specifically to keeping your financial information safe, I want you to consider something: The more information hackers can learn about you, the more they can guess. If you act carelessly with your Facebook account, you could be indirectly compromising your sensitive information, which could possibly include your banking relationships.<\/p>\n
<\/span>Basic street smarts in cyberspace<\/span><\/h2>\nIn real life, most of us shy away from rough neighborhoods. We lock our cars and install security systems in our houses. But we’re strangely lax when we’re online.<\/p>\n
Let’s review a few basic guidelines.<\/p>\n
\n- Use a security code for your smartphone or tablet and a password for your computer.<\/li>\n
- Don’t send personal or financial information via email.<\/li>\n
- Don’t click on links you didn’t expect in pop-up windows or what could be phishing emails.<\/li>\n
- Don’t share your password or username.<\/li>\n
- Keep current with the latest software updates which are often released to patch some holes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
1. Pay attention to your passwords
\n<\/strong><\/h2>\nNow that we have the basics out of the way, let’s talk about passwords. If you are using “123456” as a password, it’s got to go now! A few years ago, I naively contributed to its popularity too (oops!). Then I found a statistic somewhere that said up to 50 percent of Internet users use “123456” for their pass phrase, so I changed it to something with words and one number. To help me remember, I also used that password for almost all of my online surfing. Not much better. I can’t find that statistic today, but I mention it because it did cause me to change what I was doing.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.getrichslowly.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/splashdata-list-worst-passwords-of-2014.jpg\" "\\"SplashData")
<\/div>\nHere’s how to make your passwords tough to crack:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n- Do not use the same password for multiple sites or logins.<\/li>\n
- Do not use your name or other commonly known information or anything else that could be easily guessed or researched. This could include names of family members or pets. How could hackers find out that information? More on that in a minute.<\/li>\n
- Use combinations of upper- and lower-case letters, along with numbers and special characters if allowed.<\/li>\n
- Make the password as long as possible. Hackers use programs to guess your password, so longer passwords take longer to guess. Make them tired so they move on to someone else.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
We violate the above rules for good reason: it’s hard to remember one<\/em> password, let alone many complicated passwords, isn’t it? While you can allow your browser to store your logins to websites, this isn’t the most secure option either. If your computer is hacked, those passwords may also be accessed.<\/p>\nThere is another solution. Password managers encrypt your password database and create random passwords. Everything is hidden behind a master password that you must key in and the master password is not stored on the password manager company’s servers. Examples of these password managers include LastPass, KeePass, and 1Password — and there are others.<\/p>\n
2. Keep your information private when using public Wi-Fi
\n<\/strong><\/h2>\nI wonder how much of your private information has been viewed while you’re sipping your latte at Starbucks. That brings a whole new meaning to the term “Latte Factor\u00ae,” right?<\/p>\n
\n- First, if possible, avoid visiting any websites that are sensitive until you are at home on a more private Internet connection.<\/li>\n
- When using public Wi-Fi, specify the connection as a public connection so your computer doesn’t share information. (If you specify a private connection, your computer may become discoverable and accessible.)<\/li>\n
- Don’t allow file- or printer-sharing. Also turn off network discovery or Bluetooth capability for devices to keep your files safer. (For PCs, turning off Bluetooth and network discovery is done through the Network and Internet portion of the Control Panel.)<\/li>\n
- Also, make sure your firewall is on. (This is checked under System and Security under the Control Panel for PCs.)<\/li>\n
- To be extra safe, you can use a virtual private network (VPN) to increase the privacy and security of your computer’s Internet connection.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
3. Surf safely
\n<\/strong><\/h2>\n
1. Pay attention to your passwords
\n<\/strong><\/h2>\nNow that we have the basics out of the way, let’s talk about passwords. If you are using “123456” as a password, it’s got to go now! A few years ago, I naively contributed to its popularity too (oops!). Then I found a statistic somewhere that said up to 50 percent of Internet users use “123456” for their pass phrase, so I changed it to something with words and one number. To help me remember, I also used that password for almost all of my online surfing. Not much better. I can’t find that statistic today, but I mention it because it did cause me to change what I was doing.<\/p>\n
<\/div>\nHere’s how to make your passwords tough to crack:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n- Do not use the same password for multiple sites or logins.<\/li>\n
- Do not use your name or other commonly known information or anything else that could be easily guessed or researched. This could include names of family members or pets. How could hackers find out that information? More on that in a minute.<\/li>\n
- Use combinations of upper- and lower-case letters, along with numbers and special characters if allowed.<\/li>\n
- Make the password as long as possible. Hackers use programs to guess your password, so longer passwords take longer to guess. Make them tired so they move on to someone else.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
We violate the above rules for good reason: it’s hard to remember one<\/em> password, let alone many complicated passwords, isn’t it? While you can allow your browser to store your logins to websites, this isn’t the most secure option either. If your computer is hacked, those passwords may also be accessed.<\/p>\nThere is another solution. Password managers encrypt your password database and create random passwords. Everything is hidden behind a master password that you must key in and the master password is not stored on the password manager company’s servers. Examples of these password managers include LastPass, KeePass, and 1Password — and there are others.<\/p>\n
2. Keep your information private when using public Wi-Fi
\n<\/strong><\/h2>\nI wonder how much of your private information has been viewed while you’re sipping your latte at Starbucks. That brings a whole new meaning to the term “Latte Factor\u00ae,” right?<\/p>\n
\n- First, if possible, avoid visiting any websites that are sensitive until you are at home on a more private Internet connection.<\/li>\n
- When using public Wi-Fi, specify the connection as a public connection so your computer doesn’t share information. (If you specify a private connection, your computer may become discoverable and accessible.)<\/li>\n
- Don’t allow file- or printer-sharing. Also turn off network discovery or Bluetooth capability for devices to keep your files safer. (For PCs, turning off Bluetooth and network discovery is done through the Network and Internet portion of the Control Panel.)<\/li>\n
- Also, make sure your firewall is on. (This is checked under System and Security under the Control Panel for PCs.)<\/li>\n
- To be extra safe, you can use a virtual private network (VPN) to increase the privacy and security of your computer’s Internet connection.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
3. Surf safely
\n<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/div>\nHere’s how to make your passwords tough to crack:<\/strong><\/p>\n We violate the above rules for good reason: it’s hard to remember one<\/em> password, let alone many complicated passwords, isn’t it? While you can allow your browser to store your logins to websites, this isn’t the most secure option either. If your computer is hacked, those passwords may also be accessed.<\/p>\n There is another solution. Password managers encrypt your password database and create random passwords. Everything is hidden behind a master password that you must key in and the master password is not stored on the password manager company’s servers. Examples of these password managers include LastPass, KeePass, and 1Password — and there are others.<\/p>\n I wonder how much of your private information has been viewed while you’re sipping your latte at Starbucks. That brings a whole new meaning to the term “Latte Factor\u00ae,” right?<\/p>\n\n
2. Keep your information private when using public Wi-Fi
\n<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n
3. Surf safely
\n<\/strong><\/h2>\n