Ready to Ditch Passwords? A Simple Guide to Start Using Passkeys

In our last article, we discussed what passkeys are and why they represent a massive security upgrade over traditional passwords. They are both safer and easier to use. That’s a rare win-win.

The Password is Dead. Long Live the Passkey!

There is no doubt that passwords have become a huge pain for everyone. Adding multifactor authentication just adds to this frustration. Enter the passkey, a new and much safer way to log into your accounts.

So here is a new telephone scam making the rounds.  It has actually been around for many years but it now appears to be back in vogue like high-waisted jeans. It goes like this: You receive a call from the “Windows Service Center” or “Tech Support” and the representative tells you that you are entitled to a refund.

I'm a voracious notetaker primarily because I have so much life going on that it's difficult for me to keep track of details, action items, "to-do" lists etc. So I've always keep a small pocket notebook nearby or a yellow pad at my desk. I found that I was spending a lot of time searching for my little pocket notebook or feeling frustrated when I need some bit of information like a phone number or list on my yellow pad which was inconveniently sitting back in my office.

Enabling two-factor authentication (2FA) is one of the best things you can do to improve the security of your email and cloud accounts.  2FA is sometimes called multi-factor authentication (MFA) but for this discussion the terms will be synonymous.

"My dad has always had a heart for people,” recalls Jenn Barrett. “I’m glad that he lived a life that mattered.”  Jenn was speaking about her father, Murray Barrett. From all reports, Murray had a selfless heart of gold.  He served his country as a U.S. Marine pilot and later taught mathematics to middle schoolers .  Married for 32 years, Murray and his wife, Dianne, had 4 children.

Bay Area Maker Faire 2017

The Bay Area MakerFaire is a science fair on steroids, a geek fest, a craft show, a giant show and tell, and a festival all wrapped into one!  The MakerFaire is pushing boundaries while drawing people in to participate.  It wows and amazes while also inspires people to go out and try new things.

You may have read about the worldwide malware attack caused a ransomware virus. This virus was responsible for the near shutdown of the UK National Health Service, Fed Ex and  other companies and systems worldwide.  As a ransomware virus, it targets victims by demanding a ransom to get their computer files unlocked via a pop-up window.

A password manager is a must-have weapon in your security and privacy arsenal.  There are a few password managers available and my advice is to pick one and learn how to use it.  My preference is LastPass which is a more mature product, has great security practices and is very transparent in their security practices.

This brief article will help you avoid be scammed by demonstrating how phishing scams work with real-life examples.  This phishing scam will install malware on your computer where the goal of the scam in part 1, Your Password has Been Stolen, was to steal your email address and password.