| Use Strong Passwords | |||||
| Don't use dictionary words or personal names. Random letters and numbers work best. Try typing the keys above the letters of a memorable word. | |||||
| Don't Use Obvious Secret Words | |||||
| Many services use a secret question to retrieve forgotten passwords. Someone can discover your birthday or mother's maiden name. Make up fake birthdays or names instead. | |||||
| Change Passwords Frequently | |||||
| Every passing day makes your password less secure. Change your passwords frequently. The more often you change them, the more secure they are. | |||||
| Log Out Completely | |||||
| Most Web-based mail systems give you a sign-out option that lets you go right back to your mail the next time you sign in. This option may be convenient, but it may let strangers read your email. | |||||
| Either choose an option where you are prompted for a password every time you check your email, or sign out completely. You should also clear your browser's cache after checking your mail. | |||||
| Clear Cache | |||||
| Your browser stores graphics and text from websites that you visit. This information is stored in files on your hard drive and is called the cache. It is quicker for the browser to pull graphics and text from the cache than downloading the entire site again. | |||||
| Unfortunately, over time, your browser's cache grows. A cache full of outdated information is worse than no cache at all. It causes problems with Java applets, causes you to see out of date text or images, and makes your browser sluggish starting and exiting. | |||||
| The solution? Clear out the cache. | |||||
| In Netscape 4.x: Select Edit, then click Preferences. Select Advanced, then click Cache. Click on Clear Memory Cache and Clear Disk Cache buttons to clear the cache. | |||||
| In Explorer 4.x: Select View, then click Internet Options (this is under "Tools" in Explorer 5.x) Select the General tab. Click on Delete Files to clear the cache. |
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| In AOL: Select My AOL. Select Preferences, then click WWW. Select Delete Fil | |||||