Password Security

 
R. Brock Godfrey – Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre
 
Mr. Godfrey. from The Canadian Anti -Fraud Centre, was invited back to the Rotary Club of Brampton to present Part Two, Password Security. Last Fall Mr. Godfrey presented Scams and Forgeries.
There are some scary statics re computer crime. Investment scams is one of the top scams. York Regional Police warn of bad groups wanting payment in bitcoins, be careful about that.
Computer Security – Tips for staying safe on line
  1. Clean up your passwords
  2. Update your devices
  3. Back up your files
  4. Watch out for booby-trapped ATMs when out shopping
  5. Beware of login links in emails
  6. Look for the padlock in the URL bar when shopping online
  7. Watch out for bogus courier emails
  8. Don’t email your credit card details
  9. Turn off Flash on your devices
  10. Change default passwords before using new home video devices
  11. Think before you share on social media
  12. Upgrade the software on new devices before using them
Hackers get hold of your passwords when you use the same passwords on different sites. Change your passwords often, don’t leave them lying around, don’t share, be mysterious, the longer the better. Put numerical characters in. Keep passwords safe.
 
It’s important to share your passwords with your family in case something should happen to you. You can keep passwords on computer as long as you encrypt them. There is a Password Manager App that goes on your computer or mobile device. Look for the best password manager on line. The top manager is Dashlane. That’s the one Google uses for employees all over the world. Google has another free one called Advance Protection. It’s free and it’s good. Google Two Step Verification – Go to google, click on gmail, type in first password, a voice will give you a six-digit number, type in as your second password. It’s free and safe.
 
Free WIFI is extremely dangerous. Never do your banking using free WIFI.  You need a Virtual Private Network (VPN). If you have a VPN, it’s encrypted and your password cannot be stolen. When you buy Cloud Storage, you can process from any computer.