DEV Community: Chineme

Here Is Why You Should Should Stop Using That Password!

Chineme — Sat, 10 Sep 2022 20:17:50 +0000

Password is one of the most critical things to look out for and also something to be careful with.

There are different passwords many people should not be using, and there are also password mistakes we make. Before we dive into these, we should know its definition.

What Is A Password?

It is a word, phrase, or string of characters used to gain access to a site, app, network, device, or place. It is used to verify or authenticate one’s identity.
Another word for it, depending on the context, is PIN or Passphrase.

PIN: Personal Identification Number. PIN comes in numbers, used in debit cards, mobile phones, point of sale machines (POS), and home security.

Passphrase: It is a sentence combined with different words from a name or thing. Some people use each first letter of their names to form a passphrase e.g. Daniella – “Dumb Avenge Nice Important Eleventh Lover Liver Ascend”
Some people use this because it is easier for them to remember than a “Y5gswP06:@97”.
You can set your password as only letters, numbers, or symbols. For example “Laughing” or “Crying”.
It can also be a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols, e.g. P@ssw0rd, D12ne1Y3.

In this digital era, many people use devices, and apps and visit sites that require passwords, but unfortunately many use weak passwords, increasing the chances of their sensitive information and properties having unauthorized access by cyber attackers.

Different Password Mistakes People Make – The Don’ts

Using their names, family names, or loved ones' names as passwords.
Using their date of birth as their card PIN.
Using common words or common combinations e.g. “Password”, “Password123”, and “Qwerty”. It sounds funny, but some people use these as their passwords. You can use password checkers like Kapersky, NordPass, and other reliable ones to check the strength of your password. Use only password checkers you trust.
Making use of simple numbers like 12345, 54321, 11111, etc as their PINS.
Giving your passwords to people you don’t trust.
Using the same password for everything. Don’t do this because if a hacker cracks your password for a particular site or app, you are in trouble because he or she can have unauthorized access to other things of yours just because you use one password for everything.
Storing your passwords in your note apps or places that are easily accessible.

How To Create A Secure Password

Use different passwords for different sites and apps.
Use longer passwords. Starting from 8 to 20 letters or more.
Use difficult passwords. e.g. “Y5gswP06:@97”, “X4&@UqKp06*+21Cmz£Gv”. Using passwords that combine letters, symbols and numbers will be difficult to crack through. It will take a long time to hack passwords that look like the above. Note: The above password used is not my password. Please do not use the sample as your password because it has been exposed. The sample used is for educational purposes.
If you use passwords that are hard to remember, please write them in places that unauthorized people will not easily access. It can be in your journal or personal jotter you do not carry around.
Use a password manager. Some people would not want to think of how to compose hard passwords, and neither do they want to type them out every time they want to log in, so in situations like this, use a password manager. This brings us to our next sub-topic.

What Is A Password Manager?
A Password Manager is a software application that helps you generate, store and manage your password.
Below are different great 1 managers you can try out. They have free and premium versions. The free versions are good, however, if you can afford the premium, use the premium because it gives you more features that can help keep your data safer.
Some of the password managers are Keeper Security, LastPass, 1Password, Dashlane, NordPass, and other good ones. Go to their websites, read their features, pros, and cons, then decide on which one you would love.

Cover Photo Credit
Cheers✌🏾

Introduction To Cyber Security

Chineme — Thu, 01 Sep 2022 19:31:15 +0000

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Cyber security is the protection of systems, networks, and data from digital attacks.

The information I will share here will be on basic measures to protect yourself in the digital space. I will make this post basic, so those who know nothing about this topic will grasp it. This post is an introductory post.

A good number of people know the simplified meaning of cybersecurity but do not know any other thing about it. It is a broad subject so this post is more like an introduction. Let us hop right in.

Cyber security helps protect against cyber attacks. It has different layers used to fight cyber attacks and protect people and organizations in cyber space. They are network security, cloud security, application security, information/data security, end-user education, and more.

A few days ago, someone shared a phishing (fraudulent) link on a WhatsApp group I belonged to; I informed the group members that it was fraudulent, to prevent them from clicking it.

There are different methods by which attackers can infiltrate your network, data, or machine in cyberspace.

Here Are Some Methods By Which Cyber Attackers Can Infiltrate Your Device And Network:
Phishing is a method cyber criminals use to steal your personal information through a link or attachment. When a potential victim clicks the link or downloads the attachment, malware gets installed in the devices and steals your information like credit card details, login details, and other personal information.

Social engineering is an act whereby the attacker manipulates you into divulging personal information for fraud.
Malware: is a collective name for a file, code, or software created to cause damage to your site. It comes in different forms; viruses, adware, ransomware, spyware, worms, Trojan horse, and many more.

Denial of Service (DOS): This is when an attacker disrupts a network service or/and shuts down your machine. The attacker does this by overloading your device with data, causing a disruption.

Distributed Denial of Service (DDOS): This is the method by which an attacker overloads a victim’s machine with data from multiple places at a time to disrupt the network or/and crash it. Just like DOS, this leads to network unavailability and machine.

SEO poisoning: It has to do with making sites that contain malware appear during a Google search. Cybercriminals infuse such sites with trending words so that these sites appear on top, leading potential victims to click on them. This will enable attackers to steal sensitive information from the victims or store malware in their devices for fraudulent purposes.

Should Cyber Security Be Your Concern?
Yes. People, Organisations, and the Government should be concerned about cybersecurity.
Many people think that being inactive on social media or not using the internet often means they do not have an online presence. Let me inform you that if you use the internet, even for the littlest thing, you got an online identity.
A cyber attack can affect your gadgets, networks, internet, and data. In this era, it is hard to see anyone, including children who do not use a device that connects online or whose information is not somewhere on the internet.

How Do You Protect Yourself In Cyberspace?

Be careful of the information you share with strangers online. Attackers can use certain information about you to defraud you.
Turn off Bluetooth and Wi-Fi when not in use.
Download apps and software from trusted sources. Do not download any of these from unreliable sources.
Do not click on random links or suspicious links.
Do not download attachments or files from unknown sources.
Use passwords to protect sensitive data on your gadgets so that you do not have anyone snooping in.
Use strong passwords on your gadgets. Do not use passwords that are so easy and weak.
Use good password managers.
Ensure you use two-factor or multi-factor authentication for apps and sites that have it.
Back up your sensitive and relevant data on drives and clouds.
Update your phone or laptop when there is a new update because sometimes upgraded security patches come with the updates. Also, update your software and apps.

Can You Still Get Cyber-attacked After Taking Precautionary Measures?
Yes. Anyone can get attacked in cyberspace even after taking precautions while using the internet because cyber criminals are always looking for new ways to cause harm, so enlightening yourself on at least the basics of cybersecurity will reduce the chances of such happening to you.

As time goes by, I will make several posts to break down different aspects of cybersecurity for you to understand so you can protect yourselves while using the internet.

Cheers✌🏾

...

P.S: This is a slightly modified version of a post I made months ago on my former blog (mschineme.com). I no longer have access to the site.

How To Pass Your AWS Cloud Practitioner Exam In 2022 (+ Free Exam Voucher)

Chineme — Mon, 22 Aug 2022 20:53:00 +0000

Making a decision to start a career in tech might not be much of an issue, but figuring things out and trying to find a path? That's one thing that sounds easy but isn't.

My cloud learning journey started towards the end of September 2021 when I came across Viktoria Semaan's (who leads global initiatives at AWS) post about an AWS cloud training program for women that offered a free AWS CCP voucher. Before that time, I tried different tech fields to see where I would like or fit in. Story for another day.

Back to the present, I've heard of cloud computing and been advised to try it by a few, but never thought of it as a career path until I saw that post. A program that would share resources, offer training, and still give me a voucher? I became curious about cloud computing and jumped right on the opportunity. It wouldn't be bad giving it a try, you know😌.

I registered and joined the program. I could not follow up on the training because of my schedule. However, I gathered resources that were shared, met the requirements to get a free exam voucher, and was able to get it.
Due to my busy schedule, I could not write the exam as early as I wanted, so I wrote it in December and passed 🎉.

Here are the materials I used to pass the exam.

Overview of AWS white paper. I couldn't finish reading it before my exam, though, it was helpful. If you read this, it covers the concepts you need to know to pass AWS CCP.
A practice test on Udemy by Nadia Achlouje. It is currently unavailable in udemy for unknown reasons.

👇🏾Here are other resources I didn't use but you may need to complement what you have for your preparation.
Stephane Mareek - AWS CCP practice exam on udemy
Andrew Brown ExamPro Cloud Instructor - YouTube AWS CCP practice preparation

Most times, I learn better with written articles when learning something than with videos. As a person, find which works for you.

Why AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner?
It contains the foundational aspect of AWS cloud computing that explains cloud fundamentals, AWS concepts, and services that can build your cloud knowledge. Having the certificate may also help boost your pay at your workplace and transition to a career in the cloud. Learn More

If you are a woman interested in starting a career in the cloud or learning about the cloud, will love to get free training, resources, and a voucher. You can join the AWS She Builds CloudU program, sponsored by AWS and Accenture. The program is a virtual program that spans 8weeks. It prepares you for AWS CPE, and after the program, you may get a free $100 exam voucher to take the exam. Register here for the next cohort, as the window opens occasionally.

Here is a link to join > REGISTER HERE

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