Have You Updated Your Password Lately?

Heartbleed

It’s always a good idea to periodically update passwords, but if you’ve been putting it off now’s the week to do it.

The “Heartbleed” bug is an encryption flaw that’s affected hundreds of sites, making it possible for third parties to view protected information like passwords. While the bug only came to light this week, there’s no telling how long hackers have known about it. Many sites are recommending password changes as a precautionary measure.

Sites affected by the bug include Gmail, Yahoo, Dropbox, Instagram and Intuit TurboTax. Several other sites, including Facebook and Twitter, haven’t said whether they were affected, but have recommended password changes as well.

If you’re creating a new password, remember:

  • Don’t use any personal information.

  • Use a combination of letters, special characters, and numbers. Try to avoid words.

  • Use more than 8 characters – the more, the better.

  • Don’t use one password for all your accounts.

The list of affected sites is still being updated, so check back often. For more info on increasing your password strength, check out our post on superhero-strong passwords.