“It’s my 30th birthday.” “We’re celebrating our 10th anniversary today.” “Call me on 12345678.” “My address is…” “I love Blackie, my dog.” These statements may seem harmless, but hackers are constantly looking for any online posted information that can help them answer security questions and gain access to account credentials like passwords.
Tips On How To Secure Your Account Credentials That You’ll Never Forget
With many people doing online transactions due to the social distancing regulations, cybercriminals are also relentlessly trying to steal passwords and other important information in order to commit fraud, access financial accounts, damage reputations, or even destroy lives.
The situation is getting more alarming as 32 percent of surveyed Filipinos tend to reuse five or fewer passwords across all of their accounts while 29 percent also write down their passwords, according to a study conducted by FICO, a Silicon Valley-based analytics software firm.
“As a company which provides consumers with connectivity, we also want to keep them safe from malicious activities especially at this time when many are staying at home and are relying more than ever on apps and online services for various reasons,” said Anton Bonifacio, Globe Chief Information Security Officer. “Passwords are the keys to our accounts, making it imperative to ensure that our passwords are well protected to ensure the safety of our accounts.”
SplashData’s study of millions of passwords released on the Internet found that the following was among the most popular passwords in 2020: 123456, 123456789, qwerty, password, 1234567, 12345678, 12345 Iloveyou, 11111, 123123, Nothing, Secret, Password1 and Admin. You can check if account credentials like password can be hacked in six seconds or six trillion years.
Thus, Globe continuously advises its users to use separate passwords for various accounts and convert their password into a passphrase. This passphrase must be a mixture of uppercase, lowercase, letters, and numbers; it must not include personal details such as names, birthdays, and addresses; and it must be a simple sentence that can be quickly understood.
Globe recommends setting up two-factor verification on accounts as an added layer of protection that would allow it. This requires, in addition to the password, a code that can be received via SMS, a phone call, or a separate authentication app to log in. However, app-based One-Time-PIN (OTP) generators must be the first option for the customer, thus ignoring and accepting SMS OTP as a last resort.
Globe also pushes for added security to the use of new technologies such as biometrics with fingerprint, retinal or facial scanning, where possible. In fact, FICO said that 76 percent of those surveyed are willing to use fingerprint scanning, while 40 percent and 23 percent are open to facial and eye scans.
Aside from hacking, people also need to be careful of scammers who get in direct contact with their target victims via social media or mobile phones. According to Globe, there are many who pose as company employees selling goods, services, or support but with the intention of defrauding customers.
Globe said it will never ask for account credentials like passwords or OTPs and customers should never let anyone know.
“The [strength] of passwords is only as secure as the person that keeps it,” said Bonifacio. “Almost all account takeover, based on our experience, happens due to social engineering. So always be vigilant.”
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For mobile scams, Globe encourages its customers to report mobile numbers responsible for these types of messages.
While making every effort to protect its customers’ data, Globe stressed that conscious public involvement is also important. Globe continues to encourage proper online behavior and responsible internet use among customers through its Digital Thumbprint Program and #MakeItSafePH campaign to keep them safe from various threats on the internet.
Please visit www.globe.com.ph for more information about Globe Telecom.
