Let’s face it. We all keep fighting the good fight, but every time we hear a news story about ‘HaCkErS‘ a shudder runs through our brains. And moreover, we wonder whether we, or the companies have any control over our security ONLINE. After all, we can have super passwords and usernames, but if the companies where we use those keys to get access to our information are not well-prepared to protect us, what are we to do?
Have you heard the term Multifactor Authentication also known as 2FA? Many companies use only one of three factors to protect access to your bank accounts, credit accounts, etc.:
- username / password
- Codes/ID cards (e.g. Plastic cards that provide entry to doorways)
- Biometric credentials (e.g. Fingerprints)
Just as some users don’t want the inconvenience of having to do two or three steps to use their online accounts, some companies are not eager to add ‘Two Factor Strong Authentication‘ for entry into their systems/accounts because it increases the overhead for Security by having to hire more tech support.
If this is a cause of concern to you visit the website: http://twofactorauth.org/ . This website provides a list of companies that do and don’t offer Multifactor Authentication. It is a surprise to learn which companies and banks do not have upgraded login security.
Other things you can do:
- Do not allow websites to save your password.
- Check out what Bob Sullivan has to say about this. What does the Hold Security billion-password story mean for you?
via A billion stolen passwords? No reason to freak — just take these reasonable steps — Bob Sullivan. - Don’t panic! Change your credentials regularly.
- Check out new ways people are exploring to protect their passwords: LaunchKey is the quick, private and secure way to sign in or authenticate without passwords by utilizing multi-factor authentication on your smartphone or tablet. Simply pair your device and login on any LaunchKey-enabled website or application with only a swipe of your finger. via LaunchKey on the App Store on iTunes.
- For more information read: Ron Lieber’s article via A Two-Step Plan to Stop Hackers – NYTimes.com.
- Visit: http://2fa.com
Be careful out there!
tech4boomers 
