I think now is a great time to discuss passwords and why you should be in the habit of changing your password and not using the same password or combination of the same password for different logins.
Back in September it was noticed that there was a huge data leak that effected major organizations around the world. Billions of stolen credentials leaked online. Here is an article on it.
I want to discuss ways to protect yourself.
The first step is to setup two-factor authentication when possible. I know that this is a hassle because it requires setting up your email and cell phone to receive a code each time you sign into something. I really recommend it. Some websites will allow you to save your browser login for 30 days before it requires you to renter a code when trying to sign in. For anyone who uses Microsoft office 365 for email, especially businesses, I can not stress enough to make sure you have two-factor authentication turned on for your organization.
I also recommend using a password manager. Here is PC Magazine's top picks for 2020. My personal choice is LastPass but any of these would work. Think of a password manager like a vault in a bank where everything valuable is stored. You have one master password, its like having a master key. A password manager stores the passwords and can even help you create new random, strong passwords.
It is also important to change your passwords every few months, and I can not stress this enough, do not use repeat passwords from the past. I always tell people to think of a favorite phrase, or quote or even song lyrics and then change letters to numbers and special characters, try to make your passwords at least 12 characters in length.
As always be mindful when clicking on links, websites and even things on face book. Your first line of defense is yourself.