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Introduction

Staying Safe Online: Simple Steps to Cyber Security

December 2018

  • Keep your technology up to date
    • Software
    • Apps
    • Operating Systems
    • Hardware
  • Download apps from only from the official stores (App store, Google Play Store, Microsoft Store, etc)
    • It is better to go looking for something (i.e. an update) than it is to “click here” because you “need to update your…”
  • Delete unused apps
  • Avoid using public WiFi
    • Use a VPN or your own data plan
    • I recommend ExpressVPN
  • Set up 2 factor authentication for banking (if offered), all social media, email, etc.
    • Code sent by text to your phone
    • Unique code generated by an app on your device
      • Google Authenticator
      • Authy
      • Microsoft Authenticator
    • Yubikey
  • Use unique, strong passwords for every log in. Never use the same password twice.
    • Employ a password manager to generate and remember your passwords for you (very simple)
      • The following are FREE, easy-to-use password managers
        • Last Pass (this is the one I use) If you sign up for Last Pass via this link, we will both get 30 days free Get Last Pass
        • 1Password
        • Dashlane
      • Use “Diceware” to generate a memorable passphrase (see below)

Diceware Directions

Generate a passphrase using 5 Dice and  EFF’s Long Wordlist [.txt]

https://www.eff.org/files/2016/07/18/eff_large_wordlist.txt

For most applications, a six-word passphrase is recommended.

Step 1: Roll five dice all at once. Note the faces that come up without looking at the wordlist yet.

Step 2: Your results might look like this reading left to right: 4, 3, 4, 6, 3. Write those numbers down.

Step 3: Open EFF’s Long Wordlist [.txt] to find the corresponding word next to 43463.

Step 4: You will find the word “panoramic.” This is the first word in your passphrase, so write it down.

Step 5: Repeat steps 1-4 five more times to come up with a total of SIX words.

When you are done, your passphrase may look something like this:

panoramic nectar precut smith banana handclap

Step 6: Come up with your own mnemonic to remember your phrase. It might be a story, scenario, or sentence that you will be able to remember and that can remind you of the particular words you chose, in order. For example:

The panoramic view, as I tasted the nectar of a precut granny smith apple and banana, deserved a handclap.

This passphrase is one of 221073919720733357899776 (or about 2⁷⁷) alternatives that could have been chosen by this method. With so many possibilities, this passphrase will be very hard to guess by brute force.

 

Why can’t you use “BeefStew” as a password? Because it isn’t stroganoff!