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Mac OS X - inherently secure? .. Part 3

In our last article, we focused on the Safari web browsers.

Continuing, we will focus on some of the very basics within any computer system.

Password Security.
Most people assume that their passwords are either secure, or that they don’t need to be secure as they have nothing to steel?

Identity theft is growing daily and a majority of it starts right at the computer. (More information on Identity theft can be found here.)

When it comes to password security, I am amazed at how people use passwords that are:

• easy to remember and simple
• family, spouse, pet names
• birth date, phone numbers, license plate numbers or even bank card numbers
• simple names, places or significant events
• simple phrases.

Any of these are a recipe for disaster.

Mac OS X contains simple tools for secure passwords, an encourages you to use them.

Password Assistant
Mac OS X helps you create stronger passwords through a feature called Password Assistant. You can use recommended passwords for your Mac login, secure websites, and any passwords you need.
In System Preferences, click Accounts.

When the Accounts window appears, select your account. If the padlock at the bottom of the screen is locked, you’ll need to enter your Mac user account password to unlock it. In your account, select Password tab, then click the Change Password button. Click the key icon next to the New Password field. The Password Assistant window appears.

Password Assistant lets you choose the type of password (such as Memorable or Random) and the length you want. Password Assistant then suggests 10 possible passwords, rated on quality. Choose Manual to try out passwords of your choice and see their quality ratings.

Note that one of the Type options is “FIPS-181 compliant.” These passwords meet U.S. Department of Commerce requirements for randomly generated, pronounceable passwords.

Choosing a Secure Password
So how do you choose a secure password? There are multiple ways, but I prefer to use a few simple rules.

1. Choose a dictionary word that you will remember
2. Choose a number that has significance
3. Choose a symbol that you relate to (a keyboard symbol that is)
4. Replace characters within the dictionary word with the numbers and symbols and upper/lower case letters
5. Don’t make it easy AND
6. Run them through the password assistant to check the level of security they offer.

For example, I might choose a simple phrase for my password such as: “Mac OSX is Secure”.

Taken as MacOSXisSecure. Replace numbers and symbols, and it becomes, M@c0sX1sSecuR#. Let’s see what our password assistant advises.

Secure Passwords - Before

Secure Passwords - After

For an operating system out of the box, it’s pretty neat.

Of Course, a password is only good if it’s kept secret! Now that’s a difficult one …

Warm regards,
Scott Malpass
Aquafruit Media.

Tags: good practice, out of the box, passwords, secure, security