Staying safe online
Become a Harder Target
Five easy steps to protect your accounts and outsmart scammers
Step 1 of 5
Your Master Password
One account quietly controls all your others.
iPhone → your Apple account. Android → your Google account.
This is the big one. Never lose it.
the one key to rule them all
Step 2 of 5
Make It Long
Long beats complicated. Pick something you can remember.
Spaces are often allowed — use a short phrase.
Sneak in one number or one symbol somewhere.
longer = stronger
Why long words win
Four simple words: easy to remember, very hard to guess.
— xkcd.com
Step 3 of 5
Keep Them in a Book
A paper password book. Old-school — and it works.
Online tools get hacked — even the big, trusted ones.
I keep mine in my safe.
Step 4 of 5
Add a Second Step
What you KNOW
your password
What you HAVE
your phone
A second step stops most break-ins. Try an authenticator app if you're comfortable.
Step 5 of 5
Protect Your Phone Number
SIM Lock — blocks anyone swapping your SIM card.
Port-Out PIN — blocks moving your number to another carrier.
Just call your phone company and ask them to turn both on.
Your Five Steps
1
Guard your master password.
2
Make every password long.
3
Keep them in a book, in a safe.
4
Add a second step when you can.
5
Lock down your phone number.
Do these, and you become a much harder target.