Statewide Iowa — With new online scams emerging almost daily, Iowans are being encouraged to brush up on their computer security precautions.
Consumer protection advocate Michael Domke says you should consider using a password manager on your computer and phone, instead of reusing old passwords.
Domke says it’s important to keep the password you use for your personal email account or cell phone as strong as possible and never use it for other apps or websites. One really good idea, he says, is to put your most important accounts — like your email, banking and credit card accounts — behind two-factor authentication.
That way, even if someone can work out your password, your information will stay safe and you can be alerted to update your password. He notes, even cursory knowledge about you could let people get past basic security questions.
Making a password “strong” may involve having it be at least eight characters, with some upper and lower case letters, as well as numerals and symbols.
