MAY 2021 • TECH ADVISOR 97you’ll find on the World Wild Web. Better
yet, these five easy securitytasks should
takeonlya shortwhiletogetsetup.Do
themnowandsleepeasieratnight.
1.USEA PASSWORDMANAGER
Onofthebiggestsecurityrisksthese
daysis passwordreuse.Majorwebsites
andservicesreportmassivedata
breachesona shockinglyregularbasis.
If you’reusingthesameemailand
passwordformultipleaccounts,and
anyofthoseaccountsleak,attackers
canhackintoyourotheronesusing
theinformation.
Using strong, uniquepasswordsfor
every account you ownprotectsagainst
that – but memorizinga differentrandom
password for every websiteyoucreate
an account for is next
to impossible. That’s
where password
managers come in.
These tools can create
strong randomized
passwords for you,
store the information,
and automatically
fill in login fields on
websites and software
alike. Browsers are
starting to offer
basic password
management tools
too. They work in a pinch but aren’t
good enough overall. Investing in a
properpasswordmanageris wellworth
it (especially because many services
offer a free tier).- ENABLE TWO-FACTOR
AUTHENTICATION
Most major services now offer a two-
factor authentication feature, especially
if they handle more sensitive personal
data. Turn it on whenever you can. If a
hacker does somehow manage to gain
accesstoyourlogininformation,2FA
canstill save your bacon.
Two-factor authentication requires
you to confirm your account two ways
before you’re able to log in: with
something you know, and something
The FIDO Alliance’s U2F open standard lets compatible USB key
drives and other small devices simplify two-factor authentication.