How to stop worrying that your password be kidnapped

Recently, hackers have once again published database with millions of compromised email addresses. We've put together a few simple tips that will give you the confidence that your accounts will never find themselves in danger.

1. Turn on two-factor authentication

This is a simple but effective way to protect data. Two-factor authentication (2FA) adds another condition to enter the accounts - enter a code from SMS or a mobile application. Even if the attackers know the login and password, they will not be able to go to your account, do not gain access to your smartphone.

Check out direction Layfhakera to enable 2FA wherever they can. Well, or only the most important and valuable account.

One little thing: when you set up two-factor authentication, give preference to specialized mobile applications, rather than SMS. it less reliable 2FA method.

2. Invent strong passwords

Try to come up with a long password. Very long. No, really, the longer the better. More difficult to hack various additional characters, numbers and letters in different registers.

Do not use a password words and phrases that you can pick up a dictionary. Generally, the best passwords - those that are generated randomly.

Check out one of their favorite passwords on the service How Secure Is My PasswordWhich shows how reliable it is and how long it will have to brute force hacking. If the selection will leave less than a million years - means that the password you have not.

3. Use unique passwords

Many of us sin that use the same password in several of his accounts. In severe cases, one set of characters set in general on all accounts that the user has. So, if any of the services would be compromised, will be threatened and the rest of the data.

Therefore, always coming up with a separate password for each uchotki that creates. Of course, remember all those passwords will be difficult, but there is a way - password manager.

4. Set the password manager

Password Manager - excellent program for several reasons. Firstly, they can store as many passwords of any complexity in securely encrypted. Secondly, they are able to generate a tamper resistant combination in a single click. And finally, they have to enter the password for you, which can save considerable time.

To choose which password manager to use, check out our selection. If you belong to their security downright paranoid seriously in the first place pay attention to those applications that keep their base in offline mode - the same KeePass, eg.

We stored on your hard drive or external media database passwords is much less likely to leak into the network. And online LastPass, despite its reliability and popularity, is still exposed burglary.

5. Change passwords periodically

Keep walking in all their online accounts and change passwords there - is, of course, have some form of madness. But here's the most important accounts from time to time (for example, every six months) to make it worth it. Here is a sample list.

• Email. There you store your correspondence and e-mail address, as a rule, linked accounts of other Internet services.
• Cloud storage. It contains your personal and work data.
• Banking applications and other financial services. Here, perhaps, and not worth explaining.
• Account Steam. This is especially necessary if you are the owner of a rich collection of games.
• Password Manager. From the master password depends on the security of other records.

Many Password Manager can be assigned to your recordings expiration date. When the time comes, the app will remind you that in this service it is time to change your password.

6. Use unusual answers to security questions

Service where you register, ask to come up with a secret answer to the question, which is used when you reset the password? No need to answer honestly. Otherwise, an attacker can find the right answer if you well know or collect information about you in social networks.

Creative imagination. For example, the question "In which city was my first job?" Answer "purple." Or even generate random characters, and save it in the Password Manager. For greater reliability, you can store the answers to security questions in a separate database.

7. Give up the save passwords in the browser and on paper

The fact that it is not necessary to record username and password in a notebook or on stickers, sticky to the monitor, just obvious. So access to your data does not get abstract malicious hackers, but simply curious pets.

The browser is also not the best place to store sensitive information. Of course, it is convenient when all the passwords are synchronized between devices through the Chrome or Firefox, and you do not have to enter anything manually.

However, if an attacker has access to the device, it will be able to spy password. It does not need to have any advanced skills.

Therefore, for safety export credentials in the password manager. Or at least turn on the browser master password.

And never store passwords in text files in a way they can be opened and read by anyone at all. That's the guy from the movie "Monster Lair" did so, and as a result it has calculated and began to pursue a maniac.