Get Tough with Tougher Passwords

Over my years online and also advising people on their computer setups, I have seen some very concerning things. People writing down their passwords in books, on little slips of paper in their purses and wallets or even in their notepad on their computer.

Using a strong password will make your online accounts a lot tougher for strangers to hack. It is essential you protect your online accounts, things like email, social media and online banking for example. Never fall into the trap of using the same password for everything either. Check out the tips below to get on the right path.

If you want some added protection when browsing online, consider using a VPN such as NordVPN.

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Evernote forcing users to change password after hacking attempt

Evernote, the popular cross-platform note taking and sharing app, has issued a statement about some recent "suspicious activity on the Evernote network". All users will have to change their password, and it seems that user names, and other data that includes the encrypted version of passwords has been accessed. In a letter sent out to users, Evernote says the following:

The investigation has shown, however, that the individual(s) responsible were able to gain access to Evernote user information, which includes usernames, email addresses associated with Evernote accounts, and encrypted passwords. Even though this information was accessed, the passwords stored by Evernote are protected by one-way encryption. (In technical terms, they are hashed and salted.)

While our password encryption measures are robust, we are taking steps to ensure your personal data remains secure. This means that in an abundance of caution, we are requiring all users to reset their Evernote account passwords. Please create a new password by signing into your account on evernote.com.

After signing in, you will be prompted to enter your new password. Once you have reset your password on evernote.com, you will need to enter this new password in other Evernote apps that you use. We are also releasing updates to several of our apps to make the password change process easier, so please check for updates over the next several hours.

As we've seen recently, there's a rash of coordinated attempts to hack the big players in online services. Hopefully Evernote's encryption methods are solid, but having users change their password at log in is a great way to keep everyone safe. Visit Evernote's blog for more information.

[Source: AndroidCentral]

Google proposes wearable password ring to stop hackers

Think your online accounts are safe? Google doesn't reckon so. In fact, it's come up with a whole new way to stop anyone hacking your profile: USB jewellery.

I'm not kidding. CNET reports Google is mulling over a finger ring that you plug into your PC to authenticate your identity, eliminating the need for a password. Intrigued? Read on.

Google reckons passwords are no longer safe, what with all the hacking going on nowadays. "We contend that security and usability problems are intractable," Google's Eric Grosse and Mayank Upadhyay write in an article due to be published later this month. "It's time to give up on elaborate password rules and look for something better."

And this'll most likely be hardware. Google already uses two-step verification -- whereby you're sent a unique code to enter along with your password -- but "not nearly enough" people use it, according to the two Googlers.

A ring, or some other piece of wearable tech, would plug into your PC, communicate its identity via a website, and let you access your accounts, with no entering passwords required. Which would be a blessing, considering how many passwords we're required to remember nowadays. And how tricky they're supposed to be, to ward off hackers.

So why a ring? Well the authors reckon it should be something that's always with you, so you can't forget it. "Some more appealing form factors might involve integration with smart phones or jewellery that users are more likely to carry anyway," they write. "We'd like your smart phone or smartcard-embedded finger ring to authorise a new computer via a tap on the computer, even in situations in which your phone might be without cellular connectivity."

So there you go. A password ring could be a new way to give hackers the finger.

[Source: CNET]