Did you catch wind of the most recent data hack?
Yes—Reddit was hacked on August 1st, 2018 and the hacker gained access to user data. According to a statement made by Reddit, “All Reddit data from 2008 and before, including account credentials and email addresses, as well as email digests sent by Reddit in June 2018 have been compromised as a result of this hack.”
This isn’t the first time something like this has happened. In the last year, companies like Facebook, Wholefoods and Equifax have all faced a data breach. Click here for a compiled list.
Cybercrime is one of the greatest threats to face a business today. Each year, one in three Americans is affected by a hacker. As business infrastructure get more connected, it will only get worse. Statistics say that by the year 2020, the average cost of a data breach will exceed $150 million.
If you have ever created a Reddit account, and haven’t done so already (or at least since 2008), we suggest changing your password immediately. However, there are a few more tips we would like to share with you on password safety.
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Have a different password for every site.
We know that may seem daunting to remember, but there are tricks! Eric Spellmann has a great way to remember many different passwords by shortening a phrase down to its first letters and adding an important number at the end. For example, he uses “Mary Had a Little Lamb” and his favorite number is 54. So he uses “mhall!54” for the beginning or “root” of all his passwords. After that, he will add letters at the end to express the website he is using—such as mhall!54a for Amazon or mhall!54e for eBay. Be sure to add some special characters, too. For example, replace A with @, L with ! , and if you’re feeling generous, throw in a pipe, carrot, or hashtag, |^#, etc.
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Change other passwords identical to what you used for Reddit
Hackers can use this login information to get into other accounts, if you let them. Change your passwords where they are similar, and consider starting a pattern like suggested in number 1.
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Use multi-factor authentication whenever the option is given.
A website might offer 2-factor or even multiple factor authentication to login, and we suggest you always opt for that. This might mean you need to know a password and a pin, or a password and select a specific image. Whatever the options may be, we suggest you take them all.
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Use a program to securely store passwords
We have found programs like Dashlane or LastPass to be credibly and securely store passwords. But, please be sure to vet a site or software before handing over all your passwords.
The thing about the digital age is that there is so much more information about us that’s online than ever before. You need to know how to protect yourself and your business from hackers and data breeches.
Fortunately, Run Networks has many helpful tips and we like to share. When we manage IT services for a client, we always inform employees about password safety and security. We also provide the company with Business Security Standards and recommendation they can implement to improve security—such as password length and password aging recommendations.
If you are interested in learning more about password safety and the managed services we provide, please contact us today. We would love to make sure your business is secure and take managing your network off your hands.
