| HALT! Who Goes There...? Protecting Your Privacy With Strong Passwords! |
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Anonymous writes "Copyright 2004 By Chancer Reese
Your cash, your personal history and your private identity information is stored in computers all across the Internet. And you control the access to all of these with a simple password.
So you think your password is unbreakable, huh? No one would ever guess what it is right? Let's face it. Your password is probably not as good as you think. Strong passwords are seldom used even by people who should know better.
The story goes that in the 50's then President Harry Truman boasted to a security specialist that no one could break his password. Rather quickly the specialist broke the code: it was based on the date of Truman's inauguration: 1-20-1949.
People create and use "weak" or easy to break passwords for two simple reasons:
1. They don't know much about the password system in the first place
2. They don't understand how to make a strong password, i.e. one that would be tough to crack
The Password System
A "password" is secret combination of characters that is actually half of a two part "key" that computers require for someone to login into a locked or "password-protected" account or network.
The first part of this "key" is your Username. A username can either be assigned by the organization that controls or administers the account or made up by you.
Since most usernames are created from readily discovered items like your email addresses, nicknames, etc. security experts tell us that the "password" half, has become the most the important part of the key.
A password is almost always created by the end-user...that means you! As such, you control just how "weak" or "strong" it will be. A weak or poorly thought out password can be cracked in less than one second with software any ten year old can download for free.
A "weak" password is an easily cracked password. And No Password; No Privacy!
The Five Rules for a Strong Password
Fact: no password is unbreakable. In theory, any password can be cracked given the right software; enough computing time and the money to pay for them. If someone REALLY wants to break into your accounts, they can.
But most of the bad guys you will encounter (hackers, nosy employees, distrustful business partners and curious kids) are not that hard to keep out.
1. Mix'em Up! When creating a password use mixture of characters like upper-case, lower-case letters(A-Z or a-z), numbers and special symbols such as: !,@,#,$,%,^,&,*,= , etc.
2. Psst...can you keep it a secret? Your passwords must be kept a secret. So MEMORIZE them! Don't write them down on the back of your bank card, credit card or on a note stuck on your computer monitor. Tips for properly storing your passwords are covered more thoroughly later on in this article.
3. The more the merrier. Use multiple passwords. You should have one for each individual account. Yes, I know it's a drag but you use the same over and over, you run the risk of a bad guy (a hacker or a jealous former lover) discovering it and running amok through all your accounts. Also take special care to use your strongest passwords on your more critical or valuable applications and accounts.
4. Size does matter... Bigger is better, for passwords anyway. For minimum security, the experts recommend a password be at least six characters long. For business use or financial accounts I would go up to seven or eight for more bangs for the buck. One or two extra keystrokes add a few million more combinations a cracking program has to work through.
5. Do it frequently. Change your passwords often. You should alter all critical passwords every sixty or ninety days at a minimum. So what is critical? Your money market accounts should be more critical to you then your membership to Critters Online! Some systems prompt you when change; others you have to remember and manually change it. Either way, do it frequently.
Additional Strong Password Tips
The science of creating strong passwords or any secret code for that matter has always been plagued with this problem: how to make it easy to remember (and decode) but difficult break.
A common way to design a strong password is to use a phrase cipher. For example, take the phrase, "Girls who wear glasses don't get passes." To create a password from this, use the first letter from each word. Then change one or more characters into an upper or lower case letter.
For added security you can add a numbers and/or special symbol. A few sample passwords could be: "gwwgdgp", "gWWgdgp1", "GwwGdGp!"
Another way is to use a substitution code and change a common word like "password" into "Pa55wo4d". But bear in mind the more common substitutions are like "5" for "S" are checked by most password cracking software. Use your imagination.
The best way to remember a password to use something memorable but don't make it obvious.
People love to use birthdays, anniversaries, street addresses, Social Security Numbers, their pets' names, family member names, etc.
Your password should mean something to you but should not be so easily guessed or quickly discovered like your personal information. Use memorable things only you would know or would have meaning only to you.
Still another way, the one that I use, is to create a "password base" then change parts or add bits to make it stronger for more important accounts and financial programs like Quicken, TurboTax or an online banking or credit card account.
Storing Passwords
One the biggest problem with passwords is how people store them. I have found written passwords under keyboards, on monitors, under speakers, in pencil holders, etc. If you must write it down then keep it close to you inside your wallet or purse. Just the passwords mind you. Don't write down your bank account number along with its password or pin!
Another way is for you to store your passwords using a software utility like "Password Safe". Password Safe is free database program (an open source project for Win9X/2000) from Counterpane Labs that stores all your passwords in an encrypted format.
After installing the program onto your desktop, it's simple and easy-to-use interface allows you to get started using it quickly. You can easily cut and paste usernames and passwords into Password Safe as you need them. You can download Password Safe 1.7.1 from this web site: www.technoweasel.com/Code/ps171.zip.
Take the time to create and use strong passwords; your online privacy may depend on it!
==============================================
Chancer Reese has been computer technician and trainer for over ten years. Ms. Reese specializes in assisting small businesses in effectively utilizing and managing their computer systems. She can be contacted at her website http://www.technoweasel.com "
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Posted on Monday, February 06, 2006 @ 14:10:47 CST by admin
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