What Makes A Strong Password?

Passwords

It all starts with a strong password. We all have more passwords we care to have. It might sound simplistic, but strong passwords are a must for good security. Strong passwords to your web, ftp, and data servers are the easiest first step toward a secure web presence.

What Makes A Strong Password?

�A three-character password is much weaker than a six or eight character password. A good rule of thumb is never to use password shorter than eight characters.

�In no way should you use the default password

�Never make a word found in a dictionary your password. One of the most common methods to break into systems is to run scripts that try using dictionary words to guess your password. The less your password looks like a dictionary word, the less likely will someone guess what it is.

�Include numbers and special characters

�Avoid repeated numbers, characters or sequences such as 12345678, bbbbbbbb, or 33333333

�Never use the user name, or any combination of it, as your password. Don't use your domain name as your password either.

�Don't use look alike substitutions like "4ufromme", or n0t@home"

�Use the entire keyboard, and try to use the less common keys

�Use different passwords for different accounts. If you use the same password for all of your accounts, you may find multiple of your accounts compromised simultaneously.

�Never, ever use a blank password.

Examples of strong passwords are:

A combination of several words that aren't themselves a word interspersed with special characters (e.g., !4scOrE&sDayNYeaRs_ag0)

A word with digits of a memorable date sprinkled inside it (e.g., vacation -> 0vac2a0t9io19ln99)

Keep Your Passwords Safe

Ideally, you would never write down your passwords, but it is becoming difficult to do with so many accounts. If you have to write them down, keep them locked in a safe or some other secure environment. Passwords on Post It notes are a recipe for disaster. Don't do it!

Don't share your passwords with other, not even friends or family members. If someone has to use one of your accounts, log them in instead of sharing your password. Don't give out your password over the phone unless you have initiated the phone call. For example, you may receive a phone call from your Internet Service Provider asking for your password. Ask for their phone number, cal them back, then give out your password. Telephone conversations are not considered secure. Neither are online chat, email, or instant messaging.

Change your passwords regularly. A new password every 45 days is a good practice. Having the same passwords for years is a weak security practice. Set yourself reminders in your calendar. Make it a routine procedure. You'll see that after a few months, it becomes a habit.

Avoid typing your password on public computers. Unfortunately, many public computers have been compromised, making their users vulnerable for malicious.

About the Author:

Online business success.

Title:
What Makes A Strong Password?
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The Firefox Browser, Will It Work For You?

by: Garret Belisle

The firefox browser is fast becoming the browser of choice for online enthuisiasts for several reasons. Here are just a few reasons why :

1. Faster, Safer

2. Popup Blocking

3. Privacy and Security

It has over 64 million downloads already.

With the firefox browser you can surf several pages on one tab, you can actually set up your home page to have several webpages in it, unlike most browsers where you can only have one.

Not to mention the additional security and of course RSS syndicated feeds, commonly used by news and media sources, let you read the latest news headlines as they happen. Plus you will enjoy hassle free downloading as all files you download are automatically saved and managed to a single location on your computer, of your choice.

This browser is truly improving and speeding up any computer task you may have.

Go ahead and take a look at what else the firefox browser can do for you today.

About The Author

Garret Belisle is the c0-author of the Firefox: How to..."

www.firefoxmentor.com

garretbelisle@ntl.sympatico.ca

Source: www.articlecity.com

The Benefits of the New Firefox Browser

by: Jakob Jelling

You probably heard of the new Firefox browser version 1.0 recently released by Mozilla. If you are currently using Internet Explorer or Netscape, you are probably wondering if Firefox is better and why is it better. In order to answer these questions it is necessary to take a look at all the benefits that Firefox offers you as a user.

First of all, Firefox is free, which is definitely a plus. It is an open-source web browser based on the Mozilla code foundation and will work for Windows, Linux and MacOS X operating systems. These are the technical specification, but what is more interesting to you as a user is that Firefox is very fast, secure, and is easy to use and navigate. The user interface is straightforward and uncomplicated.

There are numerous benefits that Firefox has. One of them is the popup blocking capability. You no longer have to see all those frustrating popup windows since the browser will take cake of them. You also don’t need an alternative popup blocker program. Firefox also allows you to use tabs to open new web pages instead of using a new window. This feature is similar to the one that Netscape offers. However, with the Firefox, you can also open web pages in the background.

If you are trying to download some file, it will be automatically saved to your desktop. If you are using Google search engine for your search needs, you will appreciate the built in Google toolbar. Your Firefox toolbar will also include usual features like bookmarks, history, and text size and is customizable to include additional tools and features. If you would like to have an access to an email client you will need to download the Mozilla Thunderbird mail client software.

You don’t have to be a computer professional to install this new browser. The installation and setup are very simple and straightforward and were designed to minimize the amount of work that needs to be done by the user. All your settings will be imported into Firefox. For example, you will see the same favorites as you saw when using Internet Explorer. Firefox is also available in several languages so if you prefer to use some other language then English, you can just install your language version of this browser.

In addition to all the benefits described above, Firefox browser is also offering you a higher level of security. For example, spyware and adware programs cannot automatically install in the Firefox browser.

About The Author

Jakob Jelling is the founder of http://www.centernet.dk. Visit his website for the latest info on search engine optimization.

Source: www.articlecity.com

Forget Emailing Pictures - Use Free Online Photo Hosting Websites

by: J.O. Moen

There is a very good alternative to emailing photos; they are called free online photo hosting websites. People love to share photos. However, photos take up a tremendous amount of space and can really slow down your email, not to mention take up a tremendous amount of space in someone's inbox.

On a free online photo hosting website you open an account and load your photos directly to that site. You can then invite family and friends to visit your site, check out your photos and even comment on them!

The following photo hosting websites are some of the more popular sites on the net.

FaceBook

FaceBook is a social network of people who have photo pages. You can find new friends through the search or you can link to your own friends and family while uploading an unlimited number of photos, share links and videos.

Anyone with a valid email address can join FaceBook. If you register with your school or work email, you can connect to co workers or classmates. When you have registered you can find a regional network to join and then you can connect to people in your area.

WebShots

One of the largest photo and video sharing sites, WebShots has more than 400 million photos to check out and is a great hosting site for your own photos.

They have free and premium memberships that offer lots of storage, ensuring that you will never fun out of space. You can share videos, photos and slideshow on both WebShots and on your personal website. You can even order prints of your photos and create custom photo gifts.

PhotoBucket

The self proclaimed most popular creative hub on the web, PhotoBucket links billions of personal photos, graphics, slideshows and videos to many of the most popular websites and social networking sites such as MySpace, Bebo, Friendster, Craigslist and Blogger.

However, the free online photo hosting website is not the only method that members can share their photos. They can also share their digital media via email, IM and even mobile devices.

Membership is free and it is a great place to share you latest shots of your new purple Mohawk or your adorable new baby.

Flickr

Flickr is a fun site where members can keep a blog of memories that they have captured on their cell phone camera, or maybe they just want to post their best photos so that they can show off their talents and perhaps earn the title web celebrity.

Of course, they can post their photos to share with family and friends. Flickr is a free online photo hosting website, but it also helps members get photos to the people who matter to them. Members can organize their photos, share and keep in touch with others.

The free membership on this site offers you a lot of options, particularly if you have a lot of photos to store and share.

Yahoo! Or AOL Photo Album

Yahoo! And AOL photo albums are free online photo hosting websites and are very effective for sharing your photos.

You can save, send and share your photos through these sites. There is no fee attached, the services are both free.

You can set your albums to private or you can make them public. Additionally, you can designate certain albums as private and others as public. If you want some simple photo sharing, storing and organizing, these are two great sites to use.

About The Author

J.O. Moen is author of the very popular information website - http://www.website-hosting-advisor.com

Source : Articlecity.com

How To Beat Pop-ups: Gain Back The Home Court Advantage

Author: Kat. Mitrou

With the constant proliferation of annoying pop-up ads invading their personal computer space, many people are seeking ways to combat this formidable opponent. It may seem impossible at times to rid your computer entirely of those pesky ads that compromise your browsing experience and even slow down your computer, but luckily, there are effective methods of avoiding as many pop-ups, adware and spyware programs as possible.

But first, what exactly is adware? Why are you bombarded with so many pop-ups that surfing the Internet becomes a hassle? Pop-ups, of course, are advertisements that ?pop up? in a separate window when you surf the Internet, usually at particular sites that have pop-up advertising. The website you visit can be the culprit of the pop-up ads you see, but other sources are also used to generate pop-up ads as you browse online. For example, adware can also create pop-up windows in your browser. Adware refers to any software program that generates pop-up advertising directly from your computer. Adware is dubbed ?spyware? when the adware program running on your computer also serves a secondary function ? to collect personal information and pass it on to third parties without your knowledge or consent. This is where adware is most criticized, especially by those who feel privacy is an important right whether you are online or not. Spyware that is installed entirely without a user?s permission is the worst-case scenario, but most people unknowingly allow this code to be used on their computers through other means. This usually occurs by downloading and installing a ?free? program you do want without realizing that you have also agreed to let the company install spyware on your system. In computer vernacular these programs are known as Trojans. The actual shareware or freeware program may be a Trojan disguised as a legitimate (or at least harmless) application you want to have on your computer, or it can be an extra attached to the program of which you are unaware.

Perhaps you recently downloaded a nifty browser toolbar to make your life easier when conducting online searches, or to have quick and instant access to your local weather? Unfortunately, you might have also unwittingly downloaded (with your permission) an adware program that will assail you with constant pop-ups and might even track your moves online. Peer-to-peer file sharing applications are also notorious for being full of spyware applications. Although most of the information collected relates to advertising and target-marketing, if you put certain strategies in place to avoid as much adware as possible, you will definitely rest easier, as the most malicious of spyware programs do have the capability to log your keystrokes and obtain personal information, such as passwords, that you don?t want falling into the wrong hands.

Task bar balloon pop-ups are another form of pop-up advertising that can cause you a lot of trouble. Instead of popping up in a separate window box, this type of pop-up emerges out of your task bar to send an advertising message. Task bar balloon pop-ups are a nuisance because they seemingly appear right from your computer desktop, making you feel as if someone is always watching you, even if it is only an adware program. But while task bar pop-ups might seem more threatening than other pop-ups, they are born from the same mother ? adware code present on your computer that got there either through a recent software application download or by visiting a bad website (any website that has spyware programs just waiting to infect your computer when you visit).

Perhaps the most insidious way you can be tricked into downloading software onto your computer ?willingly? is through the appearance of a Windows dialogue box. This is a type of pop-up ad that appears when you browse certain websites, or it could come from adware already installed on your computer. For the inexperienced user the alert seems legitimate, which is what the creators of these pop-ups are counting on. The ads are worded in a way that makes you think your computer is sending the message, asking you to download software that will eradicate the spyware present on your system. Of course, instead of solving a non-existent problem, you are actually downloading a Trojan that will install adware on your computer and cause all sorts of annoying problems. If you did already have spyware on your system, these applications will not remove adware or remove spyware from your computer, but probably make things much worse. Sometimes these programs are designed to suck you into paying for a spyware removal program. After downloading the program, as the alert asks you to, you are notified that you have adware/spyware on your computer. The company that infected you with this spyware in the first place now offers you the cure ? for a price. These companies rely on the ignorance and fears of its targets to make money.

Browser hijackers are the scariest type of spyware. After visiting a site or downloading malicious software accidentally, a hijacker program will be installed on your system against your knowledge. It then changes your browser settings so that your home page and favorites are all something different, usually a search engine or portal site; you are essentially taken prisoner and unable to reset the browser to the parameters of your own choosing. In addition, any time you initiate an online search through this engine, you are always redirected to affiliates and websites trying to make money. The people who used the hijacking program to direct you to these sites make affiliate money from these ?hijacked? visitors.

How Do You Protect Your Computer From These Threats?

Knowing the different ways your computer can become infected by spyware and overrun by pop-up ads, you might be wondering how you can guard against all these threats. The best way is to install a reputable anti-spyware program that will immunize your computer against common adware programs and continually work to keep new ones from being added. Running a good anti-spyware program and keeping it updated will make your life a thousand times easier and make it possible to protect your computer without too much effort.

To avoid the annoying pop-up ads that harass you on a constant basis, directly from websites, using an alternative browser (instead of Internet Explorer) is a must. Many people are unaware that they get so many pop-up ads simply because the browser they are using is not properly equipped to block pop-ups from their view. Obtaining a browser such as Firefox or Opera is the most simple and efficient way to protect your computer from unwanted ads and adware installations. The difference is noticeable when you are given the opportunity to browse pop-up free. These browsers are also designed to have less security holes than IE. Their advanced security enhancements block adware, spyware and malicious websites while keeping the browsing experience simple and user-friendly. Malicious software isn?t even given the chance to install on your system, meaning less computer-related headaches for you.

By using web browsers that automatically block pop-ups, you don?t have to download extra pop-up blockers or worry about keeping them updated. With the right browser, everything you need to avoid those dreaded pop-ups is already set up and working as an integral part of your browser. This means more efficiency in pop-up blocking, less adware programs clogging up your computer and more time to do what you intended in the first place ? surf the Internet.

More articles from this pro: http://www.ArticlePros.com/author.php?Kat. Mitrou

About the author

This article was written by Katerina Mitrou sponsored by http://www.free-web-browsers.com/. Here, you?ll find alternative web browsers for safer surfing. You?ll also be able to improve your system?s stability and speed with the use of a registry cleaner. Reproductions of this article must provide a link back to http://www.free-web-browsers.com/.

corifox@gmail.com

Creating a Podcast

What is podcast?

A podcast is an easy way of distributing media files over the internet, and this article will tell how to make a podcast.

Step to podcast

• The first thing necessary is a domain, and a host on which to store the media files for the podcast. Getting a domain is simple and easy, there are many domain registrars that can register a domain for someone for a small fee.

• The host that is chosen should offer a large amount of both disk space and a much larger amount bandwidth. Disk space is necessary because the site which holds the podcast will be storing large media files; audio or video files that take up a lot ofspace and are difficult to compress.

• The large bandwidth is necessary because transferring these large files many times to many different people will use up the quota quickly.

• The user needs to be able to upload files to the server itself, so podcasting can't be done from a simple blogging or journal site.

• The next step for people who want to know how to make a podcast is installing the software necessary to maintain the podcast. A small piece of coding called dircaster.php can be used to set up a basic level of podcast. Dircaster.php can be found easily by searching for it in any search engine. Once it is located, it shouldbe edited to reflect the particulars of the domain and uploaded to the site. Dircaster.php will generate an RSS file, or feed, that tells the subscriber about the new files available for downloading.

• To begin podcasting, create the audio files that should be podcast, fill in theinformation about the file such as date, author, etc, and upload them to the same directory that contains dircaster.php.

• To update the podcast with new information, just upload the new files. Other things to make the podcast better might be a site that contains information about the podcast, but it isn't necessary.

• To update and add a new episode, create and upload the new mp3 file to the same directory. When dircaster.php is accessed, it will recognize the new file and relay the information on to your visitors.

Start to podcast now.

Free security programs

I've found great articles that explain about 15 great pieces of software -- firewalls, spyware busters, antivirus software, rootkit killers, and general Internet security tools -- designed to protect you against any dangers that come your way. They're free, they're powerful and they're easy to use. So what are you waiting for? Visit here.