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How To Protect Your Online Passwords
By Tim Gross - Internet Business Blog | September 19, 2008
If you’ve been following the saga of Sarah Palin having her Yahoo email account hacked into, you know that it was accomplished by answering simple security questions.
Here’s how to avoid having the same thing happen to you:
Your logins are only as secure as their weakest link. Your actual password may be completely unguessable, but someone may be able to access it simply by knowing:
- Your mother’s maiden name
- The first school you went to
- The name of your street growing up
- the name of your pet
Most of the answers to those questions are public record, so it’s absurd to allow anyone access to your password if they can answer one of those questions.
If you’re give the option to create your OWN security question, do that, and pick a question no one would know except for you.
If you only get the above questions, MAKE UP answers and save them in a safe place, that’s what I’ve always done.
If it prompts you for name of your first school you attended, make your answer something like: fishcantfly123
Keeping you passwords safe is important business, and you can’t be too careful. After all, there’s a good chance that YOU will be selected to run for vice-president next term, so stay vigilant. 
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