Glasgorman Computer Services, Gorey, Wexford, Ireland

Did you know that a study, by a security firm (Trusteer), showed that 73% of people use the same Username and Password across all systems, Online Banking, Online Credit Card Syetems, Facebook, Twitter, Bebo etc. That means that if somebody gets hold of your Username and Password on one system, then they potentially have access to all systems.

Now I know a lot of you are saying “Yeah, we know we shouldn’t  use the same password for everything, but it’s a nightmare to remember them all and it’s very unlikely that I would be targeted by hackers.” Well it has happened to thousands of  Twitter users. Twitter reset the passwords of thousands of users when their security people noticed unusual activity on the accounts. When they investigated further they discovered that the relevant people also used Torrent file sharing sites, where their usernames and passwords were harvested and used on the major Social Networking sites.

Leading security firms have also recorded a 70% increase in attacks on Social Networks  like  Facebook and Twitter and the rate of these type of attacks is likely to grow significantly over the coming year. You Have Been Warned!

There is an easy solution. I use a simple piece of Password Management Software which is installed on my PC and also synchronises with the same software on my Nokia phone. This means that I can always have my unique passwords stored securely and available to me at all times.

When it comes to Online Security, a little bit of Common Sense and small bit of effort could save you a lot of hassle later.