From Our Friends at Integrity Computer Consulting and Repair

As you prepare for a new year, add to your list a review of your online accounts and the measures you are taking to keep them secure. What steps can you take to keep yourself safe? We recommend the following for ANY online account security. 

1. ALWAYS use two-step (2FA) or multifactor authentication (MFA) for ANY online account if it is available.  Keep a record of the credentials.
2. If MFA is not an option, make sure your password is secure even if the site you're logging into does not require it.  We recommend using a combination of upper- and lower-case letters, with numbers AND special characters, and not using any recognizable words.  For example, a password of "Ilovedogsalot" can be made more secure by changing all the vowels to look-alike numbers and special characters, breaking up the actual words into something more secure: !L0v3d0Gs@Lo+. Keep a record of the credentials.
3. Get into a habit of changing your password on a schedule for non-MFA accounts. Keep a record of the credentials.
4. Do not use the same password for every site.  Make each password different (even if it is off by one or two characters) and again, keep a record of the credentials.
5. Do not allow browsers to store passwords.  Yes. It's easy, but is it secure? Not really. Browser hijackers are extremely common and can mine those passwords.  We can help you get your passwords out of browsers if you want to catalog them outside of your computer. 
6. No one likes to hear this, but sometimes low-tech is ultimately the best tech. Write your passwords down. If you do need to store passwords in a spreadsheet, the spreadsheet can be password protected and should be printed and kept in a safe place.

If you have any questions about online safety, call, or text, feel free to contact our office via phone 208.288.4345 or email info@integrityidaho.com.