How connected is your individual world? Think of all the devices you own, how many of them have an Internet connection, either directly or via Wi-Fi? Most of you will think of your laptop, cell phone, tablet, and desktop computer and you’ll be right, all of these have internet connection. The “cloud” is what connects all of these together. In cloud storage, you sign up with a service that provides storage for all your files. So no matter what device you use, you have access to them.

Now let’s think about other things that might have access to the Internet, like your car, garage door, front door, thermostat, and other appliances. Some of these may already have Internet access, others will surely in the next few years.

So now the big question; Is your Connected World secure now and for years to come? Here are some security items to keep in mind:

• Every online account you have should have a strong and unique password, use at least 14 characters.
• If you use online storage, make sure it’s secure and encrypted.
• Consider a password manager to manage all your passwords; They even work with tablets and mobile phones.
• If you use Wi-Fi, make sure your router has a unique password and uses modern security settings.
• When buying new appliances, vehicles, etc. if they have Internet connections, protect them from the start using strong passwords and device security settings.
• You should consider using “two-factor” authentication for banking and investments. Two-factor authentication is where you enter your unique and secure password, then the institution will send you a unique code to log in. This will be sent via text message or email. It will be valid only for a short period of time.

The above is not all inclusive. Its goal is to make you think about the security and importance of your passwords. If you use a password manager, and you must, make sure your master password is unique, containing uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. And above all, remember that if you don’t have a password, you won’t be able to recover it.

The easier things try to become for us, the more complicated things become. This is something we cannot stop. So build a good, solid security foundation and the rest will add to your already good security practices.

You should also change your passwords on some kind of schedule; you probably don’t have to change all your passwords, just the ones that would cost you the most loss.