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Inner Secrets

 

Careful consideration of passwords used on your computer system will reduce your company's vulnerabilily to computer theft.

Russell Dewey, a senior management consultant at SRI International, a Menlo Park, Calif., research and development firm, suggests that new computer owners change the built-in password provided by the system manufacturer. And, he says, when you do change it, don't make the password obvious.

A group of Los Angeles teenagers once penetrated a department in a large bank's computer system just by trying a few logical passwords. Dewey warns against using passwords related to the system transaction, names of spouses, first names, phone numbers, addresses, or car license plate numbers.

Passwords should have at least six characters, mathematically increasing the odds against guessing. If the data is very valuable, change passwords at random intervals. "It's a function of how much money is at stake," Dewey notes. "If you're moving millions of dollars daily, it's worth it to change the password, even hourly."