Archives - Security Best Practice

Go beyond six or eight characters in self-created passwords

Creating passwords is both an art and a science. It should be complex enough to thwart common guessing methodologies, but easy enough to remember. One way to strike a balance is to use an abbreviated phrase interspersed with a number and a special character, if applicable. That combination will give you a long yet memorable […]

Don’t post photos of your boarding passes to social media

If you’re flying somewhere, you might feel compelled to post a photo or video of your boarding passes to a social network like Instagram. It’s a risky move, though, as strangers can use the information contained in its various codes to change your contact information with the airline or even alter your reservation. Handle your […]

Reassess your two-factor authentication before changing your phone number

If you ever want or need to change your phone number, be sure to check on your two-factor authentication (2FA) setups first. Many 2FA services use your phone number, meaning you might no longer get the needed texts or calls to access your accounts after changing. Use alternatives like authenticator apps or trusted devices instead […]

Know how to interact with chatbots

Automated service agents, AKA chatbots, have become increasingly important parts of customer engagement. They can be helpful, but sometimes awkward and even risky to interact with. If you get an unsolicited call asking “can you hear me?,” a voicemail saying your “warranty” (or something else you don’t even have) has expired or a chat asking […]

What is a multi-factor authentication?

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is a method of confirming a user’s claimed identity in which a computer user is granted access only after successfully presenting two or more pieces of evidence (or factors) to an authentication mechanism: knowledge (something the user and only the user knows), possession (something the user and only the user has), and […]

Avoid getting too personal in emails

Just as it’s impossible to unring a bell, it’s difficult to control sensitive information divulged in emails, as it might be intercepted or surfaced in searches even long after the fact. Don’t share personally identifiable information over email if at all possible. In particular, do not hand it over in response to unsolicited requests from […]