September 2014 February 2013 December 2012 • Holiday Update, from the Team at Benson & Associates October 2012 • If it ain't broke, don't fix it. I'm talking to you, Microsoft September 2012 • Microsoft to end support of Windows XP and Office 2003 June 2012 • Microsoft Unveils New tablet April 2012 • WHAT EXACTLY IS "MANAGED SERVICE"? February 2012 December 2011 • Backup and Disaster Recovery / Business Continuity Planning September 2011 • HP Notebook PC battery Pack Replacement Program - IMPORTANT SAFETY RECALL August 2011 • Reclaim your privacy settings on LinkedIn July 2011 • Electronics recycling fees are being reduced June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 • (APRIL FOOLS) - Very Important - URGENT ACTION REQUIRED! March 2011 • The end to pharmaceutical scam emails? February 2011 • MDaemon v12 - BlackBerry Edition November 2010 • Barracuda Spam and Virus Protection • Microsoft's Streetslide takes on Google Streetview October 2010 • A Few Perspectives on OpenOffice.org • The History Of The (Fake) 'Free Public WiFi' You Always See At Airports September 2010 August 2010 • Private browsing: not so private • Microsoft Releases Emergency Patch For Windows July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 • Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program March 2010 • What the heck is SEO, and does it actually work? February 2010 • Encourage Your Customers to Complain • Five Reasons to Consider Managed Service January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 • Genie Timeline Now Available • Independent Anti-Virus Field Test September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 • Benson & Associates NEW Advertisement May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 November 2008 August 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 November 2007 June 2007 September 2005 August 2005 |
5 Million Passwords Leaked - 2014-09-10 It seems like almost everyday a new corporate hacking, password leaking and data loss takes place in the news. Today 5 Million Gmail passwords have been published on a Russian Bitcoin Forum. Earlier in the week Home Depot announced potentially millions of retail customers may be affected by a data breach. And the infamous Celebrity Hacking of SmartPhones is a clear reminder that any of us can be targeted.
What the heck is going on?The core issue is the outdated method of using usernames and passwords. Is it time to kill the password? Your email address, bank account, social media, credit card numbers, home address, and online bills are protected by as little as 6 characters, maybe a few more if you are a little bit more cautious. Most of us reuse this same password over and over. No matter how complex, no matter how unique - passwords simply can't protect us anymore.The password comes from a time when our computers were not connected on a Global scale. So how do our passwords fail us? They can be guessed, pulled from online password dumps, cracked using sophisticated software using brute force methods, stolen with keyloggers, and even reset by Customer Support and IT Departments.
So what's the risk to me?Everything. Your personal data, financial data, personal photos, corporate information - your complete digital identity.
What will I have to do?You can always start by changing your password. This is a quick fix - and may save you in the short term, especially if your password is shared password for multiple sites.Implementing Two Factor Authentication can also help. You will start seeing this technology pushed and implemented more and more. It is already available on most major banking websites, social media sites, online backups and file sharing, communication devices, and even most email and remote access. Two Factor Authentication works along side your standard username and password, but also incorporates a physical device - like your mobile phone or a random code generator. There is a list available at http://twofactorauth.org of sites you can implement this technology on and who is working on it. Some of the Benson & Associates staff also use Password Software to help generate and remember passwords. KeePass is Open Source and stores randomly generated passwords locally and encrypted on your local Mac, Windows, or Linux PC. Each password is random, complex and different, which helps if a specific site has a breach. If you like our newsletters, you may also like our more bite sized Facebook Updates. Like us at https://www.facebook.com/Benson.Associates If you have any questions or are worried about your corporate data or personal data - give us a call - 403-247-1664 or contact us at helpdesk@bensonit.ca |