23 January 2011
Single Password Security
24/01/11 12:38 Filed in: Security
Another news story about a website being cracked, credit card information stolen, and fraudulent purchases made. There is an underlaying story about the default user IDs and passwords people use to access on-line resources.
Back in the day, user IDs were chosen by the user as well as passwords. If logins were going to be compromised, the attacker would need both user ID and password to gain access. A few years ago a trend toward using email addresses as the User ID and a user-chosen password started. Email addresses are easily located, giving attackers 1/2 the key to your access.
Now compromised websites are giving up both user IDs and passwords, as well as credit card information. Take the newly acquired user ID and Password and try it on several banking, shopping and social sites and there is a good chance that it will work there too. Why? Because people are creatures of habit. Ask yourself: "How many different User ID and Passwords do you use to access your on-line resources?"
No need to panic. Just be aware as you visit your web site resources, make sure each one has a different password. If possible, change both your User ID and Password to be unique. There are several ways to securely keep your login information and to generate a secure password. Read up on the subject and find a solution that best meets your needs.