ELM Bulletin - August 31, 2006
Secure Passwords
Computer passwords. Regardless of our dislike of them current security concerns have made computer passwords a part of our daily routine. A computer password is the first barrier preventing unauthorized access into our system. Yet all too often a computer password is either non-existent or so easily discovered that it offers no protection at all. In this month's ELM Bulletin we will present some simple suggestions that can make our use of computer passwords less of a problem for us and more of a problem for vandals.
1 - Enable Passwords - Most computers' default settings are to have passwords disabled so the first thing that we need to do is to enable them. In Windows XP you can do this through the following menus, assuming you have Administrator rights on the system:
START >>> SETTINGS >>> CONTROL PANEL >>> USER ACCOUNTS
Once you are in the User Accounts window you simply select the account(s) for which you wish to create a password and follow the on-screen prompts to create the password.
If you do not have Administrator access to your computer, or you are trying to change your password on a network, you should speak to your IT provider.
2 - Secure Passwords - Many users select passwords that are easy to remember, such as their birthday or middle name. Passwords of this type are also very simple to discover and so present very little security benefit. A secure password will be more difficult to remember but will present more of a challenge to others as well. Some guidelines for creating a secure password are:
- use a minimum of six characters
- mix upper and lower case letters with symbols and numbers
- the password be obvious to you but it should not be obvious to anyone else
- change passwords on a regular basis
- do not use the same password in multiple contexts
- passwords are private, if it is discovered change it immediately
3 - Remembering Your Password - One of the drawbacks of secure passwords is that they are more difficult to remember. To protect themselves from forgetting the password many computer users write their passwords on a note beneath their keyboard or on a nearby bulletin board. These are the first places anyone trying to learn a password would look. A better idea would be to write the password down and store it in a file cabinet some distance from your work area. Alternatively, you could assign one or two people in your office to maintain a record of all passwords and store it in a secure location. The important thing is to break the association between the passwords and the computers where they are used.
As always, please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions about this or any other issue.
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Peter Rhebergen Telephone |
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