Commentary by 1st Lt. Joey Esquierdo
JTF-Bravo communications
10/6/2011 - SOTO CANO, Honduras -- The month of October has been designated as National Cyber Security Awareness Month. The security of our computer system is of utmost importance and a potential threat to our national security and your information.
Make sure you don't leave your password for someone else to use. Writing it down and leaving it in your desk or next to your computer is just making it easy for someone to login to your bank and transfer your money.
Don't tell anyone your passwords, and watch for attackers trying to trick you through phone calls or email messages requesting that you reveal your passwords. Real technical support or companies will not ask you for your password.
Many programs offer the option of "remembering" your password, but these programs have varying degrees of security protecting that information. Some programs, such as email clients, store the information in a way that is easy to steal.
Finally, always remember to log out when you are using a public computer.
Choosing a password is vital to securing your digital persona in the cyber world. Here are a few simple tactics to use when choosing a password:
Don't use passwords that are based on personal information that can be easily accessed or guessed.
Don't use words that can be found in any dictionary of any language.
Develop a mnemonic for remembering complex passwords.
Use both lowercase and capital letters.
Use a combination of letters, numbers, and special characters.
Use passphrases when you can.
Use different passwords on different systems.
