Consider a scenario when a workstation would be left for a couple of minutes and a person-in-charge would have to go somewhere like a coffee break or the comfort room. Open working spaces are bound to have some person who may find himself by the cubicle and be tempted to see what is behind the screen of the workstation.

For some reason or another, pranksters may want to play jokes or get access to sensitive information. While these approaches may not necessarily be done on purpose to get the person in trouble, it cannot be denied that security of a workstation which is usually set at a certain time limit of inactivity like 10 to 15 minutes is a good way to safeguard work and data.

Some would regard it as annoying but the overall security and avoiding being tampered with is something that is really minor but may be at times crucial. A person can never know the people who may be roaming around and what they may be up to. Also, it would be best not to forget the administrator password, because if so, then the workstation may not be unlocked even by the user!

[tags]workstation, windows, server, passwords[/tags]

Tags: passwords, server, windows, workstation

Categories: IT Security Basics, Network Security, Operating Systems, Programming, Security Policies, Tips

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Anyone would often be advised to regularly change his password in any access points such as e-mails, log on servers and websites. Reason for this is to increase the need for security as far as gaining access and safeguarding files and pertinent information that is usually stored.

With the large number of hackers that have been cropping up one by one, various means to steal passwords,also known as phishing, or hack accounts have been their main course of action. While some would disregard such acts, the real pain begins once important messages, attachments and relevant information are tampered. True that some would not need to change passwords regularly, but just to be on the safe side, it is best to maintain a regular schedule of updating password security and make it a combination of numbers and letters to establish a more secure and harder way of being cracked or accessed by anyone today.

[tags]password theft, passwords, hacking, cracks, codes, security[/tags]

Tags: codes, cracks, Cryptography, hacking, IT Security Basics, Network Security, password-theft, passwords, Programming, Real-World Issues, security, Security Policies

Categories: Cryptography, IT Security Basics, Network Security, Programming, Real-World Issues, Security Policies

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Are you like me who has the bad habit of forgetting the passwords to your online accounts? Except for sites I frequently visit, like those for web-based services, I can’t keep track and lose passwords all the time. There’s no true solution to this problem. I’ve tried using the same passwords for multiple accounts, but that’s pretty dangerous - if one of your accounts gets hacked, they can guess what sites you frequent and gain access to your data. Writing it down can be downright dangerous - it’s even easier to lose paper and notebooks during your daily routine. It also boils down to an issue of trust with the people you live and work with.

The situation’s pretty dire if a relative passes away and all his contacts are in an online address book. The was the the case of William Talcott, a San Francisco poet who passed away in June and basically took his password to the grave. His daughter was unable to contact his friends, and though the web provider will grant them access after a court order, it will take months of legal haggling in court, causing needless emotional pain for his descendants

The solution? A password manager that keeps track of your passwords. Some users make their own with their database and password locking it, but these makeshift databases aren’t encrypted and they’re quite easy to crack. There are commercial and open source password managers available for download online. All you need to do is add the website, your account name and password, select one password to lock your data, and then it will keep track of your passwords for you. They offer different features, which can include password generators, autoform filling, and different levels of encryptions. Some sites, like those of banks and other e-commerce activities, don’t allow autoform filling for security reasons. Though most of these are currently made for Windows, there are also versions for other operating systems. A word of warning though: if you forgot your password to your password manager and it doesn’t have a retrieve password option, you can’t access your database. So make sure to remember your database password!

[tags]passwords,e-commerce,operating systems,online security,phishing[/tags]

Tags: e-commerce, IT Security Basics, online-security, Operating Systems, passwords, phishing, Security Policies, Tips

Categories: IT Security Basics, Security Policies, Tips

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