Protect Your Work; Tip #20

A new strain of ransomware — malicious software that encrypts a computer’s files and then demands payment to unlock them — spread rapidly around the world recently. 
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Changing passwords frequently is recommended to protect yourself from hacking, but that makes it hard to remember passwords unless you use a password manager program. But wait! Isn't everything stored digitally susceptible to hacking? Even some security experts don't trust the password managers. LastPass itself was hacked last year.

So that means you may want to write your passwords down in one secure location at home where it is doubtful a computer hacker will break into your home and search for passwords. 

When you make up passwords, don't use the names or birth-dates of family members or pets. Use the first letters of a random phrase or an object in your home with some of the letters replaced with numbers and punctuation marks.

If you're worried you won't remember silly phrases or sayings or which letters were switch out for numbers or punctuation, We recommend using our little black book of passwords like "Shhh...It's a Secret." This book is inexpensive, blends in with the other books on a shelf, and has space to store a years worth of monthly password changes for 55 websites. As an added bonus you can record your security questions in this book as well.