5 Ways to Protect Your Accounts from Hackers

5 Ways to Protect Your Accounts from Hackers

Being online puts you and your data at risk, but there are ways you can minimize your risk and make a hacker’s job harder.

Whether it’s Imgur or Uber, new reports of data breaches and hacks seem to come out weekly. You may be tempted to go scorched-earth on your online presence, but deleting every account you have to prevent being hacked is impractical in today’s connected world. Yes, being online puts you and your data at risk, but there are ways you can minimize your risk and make a hacker’s job harder.

Here are four steps you can take to protect your accounts against hacks and data breaches.

  • Keep tabs on what sites may be compromised: Anywhere you have an account could potentially be hacked, so it’s good to stay in the know as to what sites have had breaches or data leaks. You can always do a quick Google, and the site Vigilante.PW maintains a searchable directory of reported hacks and data breaches. If you find a site you use has been compromised, it’s a good idea to change your password for that account.
  • Check whether your accounts have been compromised: The site Have I Been Pwned? is a free resource that allows you to see if an account of yours has been compromised (or “pwned,” an internet term meaning dominated or owned) in a data breach. HIBP collects data (email addresses and usernames, not passwords) from publicly leaked breaches and aggregates it to make it easy to search its database for your email or username. When you enter your email or username, it provides a list of breaches in which your account was found, listing the site, a short summary of the incident and the data that may have been compromised. If you find yourself “pwned,” you should change your passwords to not only the compromised account, but any account that shares that password and your email account as well.
  • Create strong passwords: By now, we should all know that “password1” and “12345678” are two of the easiest passwords to guess and the first hackers will try. Every account you have should use a different password and they should all be as strong as possible. Research shows one good option is long passwords (at least 12 characters) with at least two or three different types of characters (lowercase, uppercase, digits and symbols) put in unpredictable places – no capital letters at the beginning and no digits or symbols lumped at the end. Another good method is to combine partial 2-4 unrelated words together and mix in other types of characters. Your online banking and email accounts should have particularly strong passwords, as they hold your most valuable information.
  • Use a password manager: All of these random, secure passwords may be difficult to remember – it’s helpful to use a password manager like LastPass or Dashlane to keep track of them for you. Many password managers can even generate randomized strong passwords for you and run security audits to let you know when passwords are weak or used across multiple accounts.
  • Enable two-factor authentication: Many sites now offer two-factor authentication as a security measure. You log in with your username and password and are then asked to enter a validation code, usually sent by text message to your phone. In theory, this makes it more difficult for hackers to get in – even if they have your password, they would need the texted code.

About the Author

Jessica Davis is the Associate Content Editor for 1105 Media.

Featured

New Products

  • Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems, an industry-leading manufacturer of pedestrian and vehicle secure entrance control access systems, is pleased to announce the release of its groundbreaking V07 software. The V07 software update is designed specifically to address cybersecurity concerns and will ensure the integrity and confidentiality of Automatic Systems applications. With the new V07 software, updates will be delivered by means of an encrypted file.

  • HD2055 Modular Barricade

    Delta Scientific’s electric HD2055 modular shallow foundation barricade is tested to ASTM M50/P1 with negative penetration from the vehicle upon impact. With a shallow foundation of only 24 inches, the HD2055 can be installed without worrying about buried power lines and other below grade obstructions. The modular make-up of the barrier also allows you to cover wider roadways by adding additional modules to the system. The HD2055 boasts an Emergency Fast Operation of 1.5 seconds giving the guard ample time to deploy under a high threat situation.

  • Mobile Safe Shield

    Mobile Safe Shield

    SafeWood Designs, Inc., a manufacturer of patented bullet resistant products, is excited to announce the launch of the Mobile Safe Shield. The Mobile Safe Shield is a moveable bullet resistant shield that provides protection in the event of an assailant and supplies cover in the event of an active shooter. With a heavy-duty steel frame, quality castor wheels, and bullet resistant core, the Mobile Safe Shield is a perfect addition to any guard station, security desks, courthouses, police stations, schools, office spaces and more. The Mobile Safe Shield is incredibly customizable. Bullet resistant materials are available in UL 752 Levels 1 through 8 and include glass, white board, tack board, veneer, and plastic laminate. Flexibility in bullet resistant materials allows for the Mobile Safe Shield to blend more with current interior décor for a seamless design aesthetic. Optional custom paint colors are also available for the steel frame.