Using the same passwords

Do you use the same password over and over again? Do you use it at work, on eBay, Amazon, for email, at your bank, and when you find that great deal at "FBN* super store?" Do you know that if you do you are putting your identity at risk and exposing all of your accounts.

Have you ever heard of "phishing" attacks where an unsolicited email urges you visit a site. Be suspicious. My browser wans me of a possible scam whenver it detects a link that says one thing and appears to do another. Hover the mouse pointer over the link and it will show you where its really taking you. If it looks fishy, particularly if it doesn't match, don't go there.

We encourage use of a sort of multi-tier of secretness. You can use a memorable password over and over for sites where security is not an issue. If they don't collect your credit card or bank information, but just want an email address so they can keep in touch, you can use your soft password. For the sites that collect credit cards, account numbers and stuff like that, I tend to use unique passwords, even if I have to write them down and file them with the account statements (never on a sticky note stuck to your desk or monitor.)






*FBN - Fly By Night