IT News

In the IT world, October is known as Cybersecurity Awareness Month. Cybersecurity is all about protecting yourself in the digital world. It sounds complex and can be overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be - there are lots of simple things you can do to keep yourself safe. 

One of the problems people come to me with is that they are having trouble remembering passwords. I am often asked, "Why do I have to create so many different passwords?"

The answer is simple. Hackers spend lots of time and effort trying to guess your password. When they find a password that works, they immediately try that password on other common sites. This can be a problem for you. It might seem harmless if they guess your Insta or TikTok password. But if you use the same password for your online banking, then they could drain your bank account balance. Choosing a unique password for every site shields you from this risk.

You can learn all about passwords and passphrases here https://www.cyber.gov.au/protect-yourself/securing-your-accounts/passphrases, and for more generic cybersecurity advice you can visit https://www.cyber.gov.au/learn-basics.