Yahoo Breach

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Everyone knows about the Yahoo’s data breach that affected 500 million user accounts. This is another opportunity to look at how you manage your online passwords and accounts.

If you have a Yahoo account change your password now. Use a password that is not used on any other online or offline account. Duplicate passwords are used by 73% of Internet users. Password managers are the right tool to make this easy. LastPass offers a free computer account for all passwords and important information. When using LastPass you only need to remember one pass phrase to unlock thousands of unique passwords.

autochangepw4To change your Yahoo password log into your email account.  Point your mouse at your name in the top right corner of the screen. Click on Account Info from the menu that appears. On the account information screen click on Account Security on the menu list on the left side of the screen.  After changing your Yahoo password, find the “Disable security questions” on the left of the Account Security screen.  Click on the link to clear all of you current security questions.

Yahoo also offers two step authentication. With this authentication you will need to have a password and a code sent to your cell phone to access your yahoo account. This occurs the first time you login from a new smartphone, tablet or computer.  TwoFactor lists all of the websites that have two factor authentication available.

A Yahoo account key can secure your account without using a password.  It does require that you use your cell phone to authorize each access from a new device.  Yahoo account key setup instructions are found here.

It is not just your login information that is at risk. Beware of phishing emails that are not from Yahoo. Yahoo is sending out an email to affected users.  Yahoo states “the email does not ask you to click on any links or contain attachments and does not request your personal information. If the email you received about this issue prompts you to click on a link, download an attachment, or asks you for information, the email was not sent by Yahoo and may be an attempt to steal your personal information. Avoid clicking on links or downloading attachments from such suspicious emails.” Do not download or click on any links sent in an email claiming to come from Yahoo. Any message containing a link or attachment is not from Yahoo.

If you have any questions or want to know more about how to secure your business on the Internet please contact us.