Updating Online Passwords is Important

Keeping your personal information safe and secure is our top priority here at Capitol Federal®. Because of this, we require our customers to change their True Blue Online® password every six months. Cybercriminals are taking new measures to hack into consumers online personal information daily. According to a Thycotic survey (Thycotic is a password management software company) conducted in 2017, weak or stolen passwords account for 80 percent of all cybersecurity attacks. We want to ensure you are protected, and know what to look for. 

Knowing what cyber threats to be aware of is the first step of defense. Brute force attacks and phishing emails are just a few ways cybercriminals try to steal consumer’s personal information.

Brute Force Attack – This type of cyber-attack occurs when a cybercriminal meticulously attempts to log in to your account using a combination of possible characters until they get the correct password.

Phishing – Hackers will send fraudulent emails prompting unsuspecting individuals to click links embedded in the email. Once victims click the link and enter information into the fake website, scammers could gain access to sensitive information saved online or on your device, such as banking and credit card details and passwords. To minimize having this information stolen if you are attacked, it’s best to not save your passwords anywhere in your email server or save passwords in Internet browser/cookies.

Regularly changing your password is a good way to help prevent these attacks from taking place. A good rule of thumb when changing your password is to make it as complex as possible. Here are a few things to keep in mind when creating a new password:

Length is King – The foundation of creating a safe and secure password is creating a lengthy one. The longer the password is in characters, the more password combinations are possible making it harder to guess.  A minimum of 10 characters is a good length to start with, but the longer the better.

Create Unique Passwords – Avoid using the same password for multiple accounts. You risk compromising all of your accounts when you use the same one across various channels. Create a list of unique passwords and keep them in a safe place.

Avoid Weak Passwords – Everyone is guilty of creating a weak password that is easy to guess. Avoid using phone numbers and birthdays when creating passwords. Use sites like How Secure Is My Password to test out the strength of your password.

Changing your True Blue Online® password regularly is the first line of defense when it comes to keeping your bank account information safe.

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Categories: Safety and Security
Tags: About CapFed , Kansas City , Lawrence , Topeka , Wichita