Archives - Password


When changing your passwords, make sure they’re significantly different from your old ones

It’s a good habit to change your passwords occasionally to keep them from being cracked. However, if your new password is similar to your old one, it will be easier to guess than if you use something completely different. Don’t just change a few numbers or letters or add one or two symbols if the […]

What’s multi-factor authentication (MFA)?

Multi-factor authentication is a type of authentication that requires multiple pieces of evidence to validate a user’s identity. It typically involves up to three factors – something the user knows (like a password or PIN), something the user has (such as a security token or cellphone), and something the user is (a biometric characteristic, like […]

Stay on top of data breaches

There are quite a few ways to find out if your password may have been compromised by a data breach. Many browsers and security software can tell you, for example. However you go about it, keep yourself informed of any data breaches. If a site you use has been compromised, it’s possible your credentials have, […]

Understand how “brute force” and “dictionary” password breaches happen

The best way to protect yourself from having your password stolen by bad actors is to understand how they can guess your password — and brute force attacks are one of the most common methods. This is when an automated program attempts to discover your password by entering words often found in a dictionary. If […]

Don’t give anyone your password

There are no circumstances in which a company will ask for your password via email, text, phone or any other means of communication except for where you normally type it in on the site itself. Similarly, no person who already has access to your account — whether they’re the IT department at your company, a […]

Save a paper copy of your passwords

Losing a critical password can be unfortunate, locking you out of a key account like online banking or email. Password managers are great for keeping track of your credentials. As another layer of security, you may think about also writing down passwords and keep them in a secure location. Paper-based backup has the benefit of being […]