Cyber Security Awareness Month Wants Canadians to Set Better Passwords

October is international cyber security awareness month, so security experts in the Ontario Provincial Police have taken the opportunity to throw in some tips that could help you avoid becoming an unwitting victim of cybercrime.

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When was the last time you changed your password? Or, if you will allow me to ask: Is your password strong enough? There are ways to strengthen your password: The basic way is to use at least eight characters with a combination of upper and lower case letters, and at least one number.

The best way is to remember that/those password(s), because your head is the safest place for them, but then again you’ll be tempted to use the same “secure” password for multiple logins. Here, iOS comes in handy: Just ask Safari to suggest a password and you have a new, strong password, which you won’t be able to remember, of course. iCloud Keychain is helpful here, because it stores your Safari website usernames and passwords, and even credit card information and Wi-Fi network information, up to date across all your approved devices.

In addition to iCloud Keychain, I also use a password manager, and I opted for 1Password for Mac and iOS. There are other great solutions out there, but for some reason I came to love this app, despite being sceptical about it at first. It’s handy, and it’s there when you need it, just like iCloud Keychain. Or xxx [Your preferred password manager app name].

Alongside weak passwords, the Ontario Provincial Police security experts also warn of Wi-Fi connections: Wi-Fi hotspots are common targets for identify thieves, since they are most often insecure, and accessible to anyone.

You can read more tips on how to protect yourself by following this link.

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