Quick tips to help protect your computer, online identity and your money.

Updated April 2024

• Are you using a password manager to store passwords? Read this Arstechnica article about a recent breach affecting LastPass. There is a way to make it harder for your passwords to be used against you if this happens to your password manager. If you use a password manager or use your browser to remember those STRONG stored passwords that you have created to log into sites, accounts and similar. I would suggest not storing the entire password in the password manager.  Instead save the last 5 characters of the password manager separate and outside of the password manager. For example, you have an 18 character password used to log into your banking account. Store the first 12 or so characters in the password manager but save the remaining characters elsewhere in a file outside of the password manager. If a breach such as described in the article happens to your password manager, the passwords that are acquired will be useless because they are incomplete. When it is time to login somewhere all you need to do is use the password manager to enter the first part of the password and all you’d need to do is tack on (paste in the part you saved separately) the remaining characters and continue as normal. IF the password manager asks if you want to update the password, do not okay the password update.

• NEVER open email from federal agencies if you have never given your email address to a representative of that agency. Generally, federal agencies will mail correspondence to your known address.

• Be suspicious of any email coming from a shipping company (for example UPS or FedEx) if you are not expecting a package or have not had any dealings with them that involved providing them your email address.

• Keep your web browsers (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, Google Chrome, Opera and others) up to date.

• Keep your anti-virus software up to date. You DO have anti-virus software installed….right?

• When buying online, deal locally with people you can meet in person (in a safe place!)

• Before clicking on that incoming email message, read the subject line. Would your friend really send you an email about that?

• Simply delete email messages from banks or other financial institutions that you have no dealings with.

• Change your passwords periodically and don’t make them “easy to remember”. Computer programs are used to figure them out. Try easy to remember phrases that include numerals and special characters (%$#^@!~). Or better yet get a password manager.

• If you cannot read the language the message is in, don’t open the message! Delete it!

• Store passwords and the answers to security questions used to prove your online identity in a safe place.

These are just a few tips aimed at reducing the risks to your online accounts and your computer. You don’t leave your front door unlocked when leaving the house. Why do the same with your online identity or your computer?