WHAT'S YOUR PASSWORD (S)??

It's easy to use the same password for every online account you use, because it's so easy to remember. But what if you get hacked? Or your computer is infected with a keystroke logger? Well then, the Hacker will know your password for all accounts.

Whenever I do virus cleanups, I recommend that the user change all of their online passwords (online banking, amazon, ebay, facebook, etc.) and see the spirit of life drip off their faces like an oil painting subjected to intense heat [ed. - not a pretty sight]. And finally I give them some good ideas about selecting new passwords. One approach, which I like quite a bit, is to substitute alpha characters for numerical:

• o = 0 (zero)



• i = 1



• l = 1



• S = $

I also recommend using a phrase or sentence you are familiar with for a password. Take the sentence "I have rats in the attic" and using the formula above your password becomes "1haverat$1ntheatt1c" (you can always add a $ or ! before and after each password as well to make it even more secure).

How can you remember all of these? For home users - write them down. Some places like Office Depot sell actual "Password Pads" so you can write down your login name and password. Norton Internet 2012 offers an encrypted password locker which is great for storing these. To get into the locker, a user must know the locker password (which I suggest it to be highly secure, i.e.- not the name of your pet, child, etc.). It's a beginning, and I know....it sounds difficult - but after using my formula above, it only took me a few weeks to memorize it. Good luck on securing your passwords, and safe web surfing to all -

Brian