(Family Features) With technology dominating more and more of people's personal and professional lives, it's easy to lose track of passwords for smartphones, tablets, laptops, desktops and more.

1. Making Technology
Work for You
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/making-technology-work-for-you-2012-05-31

2. MISSION, KS, May 31, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via
COMTEX) -- (Family Features) With technology
dominating more and more of people's personal and
professional lives, it's easy to lose track of passwords
for smartphones, tablets, laptops, desktops and more.
In addition, for many people, keeping track of online
user names and passwords for various accounts --
email, shopping, social networks, etc. -- has also
become a hassle, and therefore an inconvenience.
In fact, according to a survey conducted by Norton by
Symantec, when given a list of potentially challenging
activities, 40 percent of people ranked remembering
passwords among one of the top three most difficult
tasks. This ranking preceded even balancing a
checkbook.

3. That same survey also found that 70 percent of
respondents had forgotten at least one password in a
single month, which is why for many, opting for an
easier-to-remember, though weaker password is
preferred. But weak passwords leave accounts and
devices more vulnerable to hackers and scam
artists, which also plays a role in identity theft.
Therefore, it's important to create strong passwords.
Creating a Strong Password According to the United
States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-
CERT), following these steps can help you create a
stronger password:

4. -- Use a combination of both uppercase and lowercase letters,
numbers and special characters when possible.
-- Longer passwords are more complicated and thus stronger. If a
website allows for passwords between six to eight characters,
make sure to take advantage of the longer character allowance.
-- Refrain from using personal dates, such as birthdays, or
names, such as those of your spouse or child. This information
can be discovered by people within your social circle, as well as
hackers, so creating codes around words you'll remember makes
for stronger passwords, rather than full words or names.
-- Do not use the same password across multiple accounts. For
example, if you have created a password for online banking, do
not use that same password to access your work or personal
email account.

5. For more tips on creating a stronger, less vulnerable
password, visit http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/tips .
Conveniently and Safely Store Your Passwords For
those who have difficulty remembering complicated
passwords however, new services can lend a hand.
Norton Identity Safe -- a free service -- allows you to
conveniently save and synchronize your passwords on
all your devices, while keeping you safe and secure.
The service also allows you to avoid potentially risky
websites, and share URLs via email and social networks
safely through Identity Safe itself.

6. With Identity Safe you can log in with a single, master
password, then access all of your other accounts and
passwords through your work or personal computer, or
via the app on an iPhone, iPad or Android device.
While it may be tempting to create simple passwords
to use across multiple devices or accounts, taking the
time to create secure passwords can save you from
having to sort out fraudulent charges on banking or
credit accounts. It can also save you from the time-
consuming process of having to recover from the
damages of identity theft.

7. To learn more about making technology work for
you, visit
https://identitysafe.norton.com/?inid=hho_Various_us_
2012_Jun_IdentitySafe_Matte .
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Wendy MacDonald
wmacdonald@familyfeatures.com
1-888-824-3337 ext. 235
http://editors.familyfeatures.com
SOURCE: Norton
mailto:wmacdonald@familyfeatures.com
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