I wanted to pass along some security tips I read in the recent newsletter from Sunbelt Security's VIPRE which I use. I first blogged about this on my other blog, but I think it's crucial information so I'm posting it here as well.1. Always install software updates.
These would be: (1) security updates sent to you by the makers of your operating system (Windows, Apple, Linux), (2) productivity software updates sent to you by manufacturers like Microsoft Office, WordPerfect, Adobe, (3) updates to software used to connect to the Internet (browsers, email clients, iTunes, Quicktime, Java, etc.).
2. Always use a password different from your email password for a social networking site (Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn).
You may not know this, but most of the social networking sites don't have SSL encrypted login for users. Hackers know that most people use the same password for email, social network sites, and other login situations.
Since most social networking sites require your email as your user name, hackers immediately know your email addy. If he can get that, then he has a good chance of your intercepted logon password being the same as your email addy. Instant access to send spam & spread viruses using your email account.
If you've had your email hacked, and you get hacked again even after changing your email password, and, to complicate the issue, your anti-virus can't find anything, what's happened is that your email addy and password get captured anew because you still maintain the practice of using the same email address & password to access the non-SSL-encrypted social network sites.
Drop that habit like a, well, bad habit.
3. Use a different password for each social network site, and always different from your email password.
Takeaway Truth
Yes, it's a pain, but it's crucial to protect you online.
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