Online security is more important than ever. With big data breaches making the news, it’s no wonder people are concerned about securing their accounts with an identity verification platform.
Here are some simple steps you should take to secure your account:
1. Require strong passwords
Requiring strong passwords is one of the most important steps you can take to protect your online accounts. A strong password is long, difficult to guess, and contains both numbers, special characters, and letters. For example: d9b$d3N8e.
Strong passwords should not be easily identifiable or able to be found in a dictionary or commonly used password list. They also shouldn't contain personal information like birthdays, addresses, or phone numbers; popular phrases that are easy to guess; common keyboard patterns such as "qwerty" (the first six letters on the top row of most keyboards) or 1234567890; nor any part of your username or email address. Using the same password for multiple accounts is another bad idea as they will be easier to hack if someone gains access to one account through phishing scams or other techniques used by cybercriminals.
2. Don't reuse passwords
It's tempting to use the same password for multiple accounts, but that's a big security risk. It's one of the most common ways people get hacked. If an unauthorized person gets access to one account with your email address and password, they'll be able to gain access to all your other accounts too. It's also not recommended that you use easy-to-guess passwords like "12345678" or "password". These types of passwords are easily cracked by hackers using automated programs that brute force their way through every possible combination until they find what they're looking for.
3. Use a password manager
We understand that it can be hard to remember all of your passwords, especially when you have so many. That’s why it is recommended to use a password manager like LastPass or 1Password. With these apps, you can generate strong passwords for each account and store them securely in one place so that you never have to type them out manually again.
4. Turn on multi-factor authentication
If you’re not familiar with multi-factor authentication (MFA). it's a way for you to secure your accounts by requiring more than just your password. This extra layer of security can help prevent hackers from accessing your information.
In addition to entering a username and password, you'll also have to enter an additional code that gets sent to either your email or phone. You should be able to see this option when logging into your account online or check with the company that manages it if there isn't one available yet. The code changes every 30 seconds or so and expires after about five minutes—so make sure that when entering it into the login page, don't copy-paste!
5. Install updates regularly
You should regularly update the software on your computer, smartphone, and other devices to ensure they’re protected from hackers and cyberattacks.
To make sure you are always protected online:
- Install updates regularly. It’s important to keep your software up to date by installing any patches or fixes as soon as they become available. For example, when you receive an update notification from Adobe Reader or Microsoft Word on a Windows PC, make sure you click “OK” right away so your device has all of the latest security measures in place.
- Keep your operating system updated with the latest security patches and fixes for potential vulnerabilities that could compromise privacy if left unpatched (for example, installing Chrome version 66 instead of 65).
- Update other applications like web browsers with new features such as anti-phishing filters which can protect against phishing attacks by displaying warning messages when visiting malicious websites that try tricking users into handing over personal information like passwords or credit card details using fake login forms (for example, updating Firefox from version 63 to 64).
There are many ways to secure your online account. You can use a password manager to store your credentials, enable two-factor authentication for an extra layer of security and require strong passwords. If you haven't done so already, learn how to secure your online accounts with identity verification platforms, as well as the above-mentioned additional security measures.
