I recommend that you create strong, unique passwords for every website that you log into. A strong password is at least 8 characters with upper case and lower case letters, numbers and special characters.
DO NOT use the same e-mail address and password for every website sign-in! I understand that this makes it easier for you to remember your password. … However, if your sign-in credentials are ever hacked (stolen), you have make it easy for scamming cyber criminals to breech (get into) all of your other websites and steal your personal identity information and/or saved financial information on those other websites.
If you use the Google Chrome (or Edge) browser, you may have saved how you signed into websites. This is OK to do - except perhaps for banking and financial websites. You can see the list of sign-in IDs and passwords you have saved for various websites by clicking on the 3 dots in the upper right corner of Chrome / settings / autofill / passwords. To view a specific password, click on the 3 dots next to the password and put your Microsoft password or PIN into the validation box.
Google Chrome has introduced a new feature that can CHECK PASSWORDS and advise you of any that are weak, compromised, duplicated, or breached. The 3 dots next to an entry allow you to show the current password. You can change the password for that website to a strong, unique one by clicking on the CHANGE PASSWORD button. You will be redirected to that website and signed in. A little detective work is needed to find the account settings on that website to change the password (NOTE: you will need to know the current password). Once changed, click SAVE or UPDATE in the box that pops up from Google Chrome.
In Edge, click the 3 dots / settings / passwords to see the list of sign-in credentials for websites that you have saved. You get a count of reused and weak passwords. The 3 dots on this line allows you to see a health indicator for each website. One bar is weak or reused. These are the websites to visit and change passwords.
Now enjoy safer internet activity knowing that each website has a strong, unique password not able to be compromised by a cyber criminal
I am committed to protect your computers at an affordable price. Thank you for trusting me to keep your computers healthy. Contact us at 239-567-0104 when it is time to renew your protection software, or if you need computer and internet help. Be well.
By Linda Lindquist, May 2, 2022
