As we prepare to close out this year and plan to start the year fresh, consider performing some security hygiene on your web-based accounts. Below are 7 actions you can take to help reduce your exposure to data breaches.
Close Unused Accounts
The end of the year is a great time to review your accounts and get rid of the ones you no longer use or need. It’s also the most effective thing you can do to prevent an account breach completely. I know there are numerous reasons why this may not be a reasonable option for most, but it bears stating as sometimes the simplest option is overlooked.
Change Account Passwords
For the accounts that you simply can’t live without, the next best option is to change the passwords. In addition, if the option exists, you’ll also want to log out of all other sessions, before you change the passwords. By doing this, if an attacker has gained access to an account you have, now you’ve just kicked them out.
When you are choosing a new password it should be significantly different from the old one. Don’t just change one or two characters. An attacker will try variations of the last known working password to regain access; don’t make it easy for them.
Use a Passphrase
Consider using a passphrase instead of a password. Come up with a short phrase or a group of words that are easy for you to remember. For example, your password could be “Jord@n w0n 6 stanley cups.” (include the spaces if the app allows it)
Change Answers to Challenge Questions
We all know Michael Jordan didn’t play hockey, but that brings me to my next tip: it is perfectly acceptable to use false information when creating answers to challenge questions. When you’re creating answers for your mother’s maiden name, try using instead the last name of your favorite actor, or something entirely unrelated, like the name of your favorite cartoon character. This should help keep an attacker off base when they are trying to figure out the answer.
Don’t use the Same Password Twice
When changing passwords on your accounts don’t use the same password for multiple accounts. By reducing the number of accounts that use the same password you reduce the number of your accounts that can be compromised if the password is ever discovered. I understand that the task of making sure each account has a different password can be a daunting ordeal; no matter how effective these activities are.
Choose a Good Password Manager
To help make the task of managing passwords easier, I would recommend selecting a good password management tool. Avoid using the ones that come with your browser. This goes for all browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Safari, ect.). The reason these are not recommended is because of the password syncing feature that is embedded in all modern browsers. If an attacker has access to the account used for syncing, any password you change will be updated for them as well. Instead, use a third party password manager to store them. There are several options available, these are just a few in no particular order:
- Bitwarden
LastPass(Update 2023: I can no longer in good conscience recommend lastpass)- Dashlane
- 1Password
Enable Two-Factor Authentication
Lastly, if the feature is available, you should enable two-factor authentication on every account. Requiring more than one authentication factor to gain access to your accounts makes the effort for an attacker to login to your account impractically high, even if they already know your password.
By following these tips you can make it harder for attackers to gain access to your data.
