Page 24 - ARUBA TODAY

A24 TECHNOLOGY
Saturday 5 May 2018
How to pick a new password, now that Twitter wants one

You can turn to a pass-
word-manager service
to help you keep track of
various passwords, though
make sure the one you use
hasn't had its own security
problems . If you're storing
passwords in a spread-
sheet or other document
on your computer, be sure
to protect it with its own
password (Microsoft Of-
fice lets you encrypt files).
Avoid naming the file "pass-
words." Call it "badmovies"
or something innocuous.
___
RESET AND REFRESH
Some security experts rec-
ommend that you change
your passwords frequently,
though treat that advice
with caution. When there's
a breach, it doesn't mat-
ter whether that password
is two weeks or two years
old. And if you change
passwords too often, you
risk forgetting them and
falling back on simpler, less-
secure passwords.
___
A BETTER SAFEGUARD
This April 26, 2017, file photo shows the Twitter icon on a mobile phone, in Philadelphia. You can ignore much of
this advice if you just do
By ANICK JESDANUN count — even if your pass- and punctuation marks, ___ one thing: Turn on two-fac-
NEW YORK (AP) — Yet an- word is compromised. and make some of those KEEP PASSWORDS FRESH tor authentication, which
other service is asking you ___ letters in caps, and you've Each service should have Twitter calls "login verifica-
to change your password. COMPLEXITY COUNTS got a strong password. So its own password. If you tion." You'll get a text with
Twitter said Thursday it dis- Don't even think of using "rocketcalendar" becomes use "rocket44!calendaR" a code each time you try
covered a bug that stored "password" as your pass- "rocket44!calendaR." (But on Twitter, don't use it on to log in from a new device
passwords in an internal log word. Picking any com- don't use that one; the fact Facebook. Once hack- or web browser. So even if
in plain text, without the mon word as your pass- that it's in this article means ers get your password on hackers get your password,
usual encryption. Though word should be avoided hackers probably already one service, they'll try it on they can't do much unless
Twitter says there's no in- because it's easily guessed have it in their databases.) other services, too. Out- they have your phone — or
dication that anyone has using software that tries out Some services will even smart them by using a fresh some other way to inter-
stolen or misused those every word in the diction- require your passwords to password each time. It can cept the code.
passwords, the company is ary. have certain character- be as simple as adding the Of course, this makes it
recommending a change However, you can get a istics. As you type a new first three letters of the ser- even more important to
as a precaution. good password by com- password on Twitter, the vice's name, so Twitter gets protect your phone with a
Here are some tips on com- bining two or more words, service will tell you whether "rocket44!calendaRtwi" passcode, so that no else
ing up with a new password such as "rocketcalendar." it's "Too Obvious" or "Weak." and Facebook gets can get these texts if your
and safeguarding your ac- Sprinkle in some numerals Go for "Very Strong." "rocket44!calendaRfac." phone is lost or stolen.q

Google to verify identity

of U.S. political ad buyers

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — tive Kent Walker is repeat- closure requirements on
Google says it will do a bet- ing a pledge he made in online ads, similar to what's
ter job of verifying the iden- November to create a li- required for television and
tity of political ad buyers in brary of such ads that will other media. Facebook
the U.S. by requiring a copy be searchable by anyone and Twitter support that bill.
This March 19, 2018 file photo shows the Google app on an iPad of a government-issued ID by this summer. Google says applications
in Baltimore. Google says it will do a better job of verifying the and other information. Google's blog post comes under the new system will
identity of political ad buyers in the U.S., requiring them to pro- Google will also require the short of declaring support open by the end of May,
vide a government-issued ID and other key information before
allowing them to buy ads. disclosure of who is paying for the Honest Ads Act, a with approval taking up to
for the ad. Google execu- bill that would impose dis- five days.q