Default options on certain websites may be chosen for convenience, not for security. For example, avoid allowing a website to remember your password. If your password is stored, your profile and any account information you have provided on that site is readily available if an attacker gains access to your computer. Also, evaluate your settings […]

Some websites and applications allow or even require special characters – like < and ! – in passwords. If you have the option to include them, do so, since their presence makes the password more difficult to guess than if it only contained alphanumerics.

It’s fully possible to create your own strong passwords, i.e. ones based on phrases, but it’s often more trouble than it’s worth. Many password managers, including ones built into OSes like Apple iOS, can take care of password generation, storage, organization and retrieval for you.

If your password is stored, your profile and any account information you have provided on that site are readily available if an attacker gains access to your computer. Also, evaluate your settings on websites used for social networking. The nature of those sites is to share information, but you can restrict access to limit exposure […]

Android has never had the same reputation for security as iOS or desktop operating systems. That doesn’t mean it lacks useful protections, though. On most devices, you can first set up a PIN and then go to Security -> Settings and enable the Encrypt Phone option. Note that initial encryption can take a while and […]

If you forget the password to your local account on your PC, all might seem lost, since there’s no one to email for a reset link. However, you can hedge against this possibility by creating a password reset disk beforehand. “Disk” is a misnomer; all you’ll need is a USB stick or SD Card. Simply […]