Would you know if your password had been compromised?

Every so often we hear about breaches of online data, compromised passwords and leaded security info. Would you know if your details were included, if somebody has got hold of your login information for a specific site (including your password)? Or are you just living in hope?

Did you know that there is a way to know if your password has been part of a breach of data? And that it’s as simple as signing up to a free service with the email address (or addresses) you would use to log in?

Firefox Monitor does precisely this. You can sign up here: https://monitor.firefox.com/user/dashboard where you can add email addresses that you generally use for logging in to websites.

If a breach is reported which includes your email address then you will receive an email notification advising you of the website where the breach occured, the date and the email used. The site will then provide advice on the best course of action, generally resetting your password on this site along with adding two factor authentication where available.

If you use the same password in all of your logins then firstly we need to have a conversation about why you absolutely should not do that! Also, though, if the compromised login is a password – or even worse a username/password combination – that you use elsewhere then please change it on those sites as well!

If you use a password manager like LastPass or 1Password this can help you to generate secure (different!) passwords for any new logins you create, without worrying about forgetting them. They can also help you to review the security of your passwords to check whether you are using the same ones in too many locations.

Scammers are active and busy, please make sure to do whatever you can to protect yourself.

password security
Photo by PhotoMIX Company from Pexels
13 April 2021
Andrea @ Coppertops

Andrea @ Coppertops

I help small Irish businesses get found online with clear websites, simple marketing, and tech that behaves itself.

Work with me your way:
done‑for‑you if you want it handled,
done‑with‑you if you want a partner,
or do‑it‑yourself with a helping hand.

Through Chemistry Calls, website builds the Coppertops way, and the Nurture IT membership, we make digital feel doable.

Expect straight answers, tidy systems, and gentle encouragement to press publish. Empowering people to do what they thought they couldn’t is my favourite part of the job.

My background is a path from Chemistry to Computer Science to Web Technology, where I found strong feelings about building websites that work rather than just look pretty. Adding marketing, design and strategy skills to that technical foundation means that at Coppertops we build your website to work for your business and to visually represent you online - a site that you can love and feel proud to share!