Next to two-factor authentication, password managers are the most vital piece of everyday cybersecurity that most people aren’t using. Fortunately, as cybersecurity threats become more publicized, more users have turned to password managers. Some of the most popular password managers, 1Password, Dashlane, KeePass, and LastPass, are used by 60 million individuals and 93,000 businesses worldwide. Unfortunately, in certain situations, researchers have found security flaws in these password managers that render them “no more secure than saving passwords in a text file.” Not long ago, a team of ethical hackers with Independent Security Evaluators published a study identifying major security flaws in popular password managers. Password managers rely on a master password in order to access login credentials saved in the program. In the simplest terms, researchers were able to recover the master password from a PC’s memory. In some cases, the entire database of the password manager was saved in plaintext. This is alarming, but don’t start deleting your password manager just yet. Believe it or not, this study is actually good news for password managers and those who use them. It offers ways to boost our defenses when it comes to protecting login credentials. After the study came out, LastPass and RoboForm say they would issue updates within the week; Dashlane said it had previously documented the issue and was working on a fix but had higher-priority security concerns; KeePass and 1Password claimed it was a known limitation and accepted the risk. Password Managers Aren’t Perfect (This Doesn’t Mean You Should Throw Yours Out!) • Subscribe to your password manager so you can turn on two-factor authentication. The free versions don’t include this. • Use a passphrase for your password manager master password that has uppercase/lowercase letters, numbers, symbols, and is at least eight characters (i.e., Lov3$ecurity). • Disable your browsers from saving your passwords in your browser “free” vault. • Turn on two-factor authentication whenever possible. We recommend Google Authenticator. There is no silver bullet when it comes to cybersecurity. Password managers aren’t perfect, but they are far better than relying on weak passwords or, even worse, reusing the same passwords again and again. Looking to better protect your passwords and data? We launched our Online Identity Security Service to help you. Check out the free demo at Demo.SklarTech.com and learn about the resources available to help you feel more secure online. There are some other strategies you should employ in addition to your password manager to keep your data safe.
The Good Kind of Gossip
How to Cultivate Valuable Customer Reviews
When you’re thinking about buying a new product or service, what’s the first step you take? If you turn to theWorldWideWeb in search of reviews, then you’re in good company.According to a survey conducted by BrightLocal, 85 percent of consumers regard the customer review to be the single most credible and trustworthy sources of advertising.That same survey found that 68 percent of customers surveyed were willing to provide feedback for the company. So, how do you get your customers to write the glowing reviews that help close deals? 1. Diversify Your Platforms Don’t rely on customers to go to your website to leave reviews.There are numerous websites you can utilize that make leaving feedback more convenient for your clients.What’s more is that these other platforms are highly trafficked. BrightLocal found that Facebook and Yelp were consumers’ most trusted sources of user reviews in the U.S., but you can also use Google My Business or the Better Business Bureau. Most importantly, be sure you are active on all the platforms you use. 2. Offer Incentives Give your clients a reason to write reviews. Consider offering incentives like a discount or coupon code, coffee gift card, or an entry to win a contest for an even bigger prize. 3. Ask the Right Questions Think of the review process as a conversation rather than a request to be met, and use open-ended questions to start. Before you even request a review, you can ask customers questions like “How was your recent experience with us?” or “How are you liking your product?”That way, you can gauge their satisfaction before they leave any feedback. 4. Respond, Respond, Respond The last thing you want to see is a scathing one-star review. But no matter how hard you work, they are still bound to happen. When you receive one, take the time to respond thoughtfully —without being defensive — and try to come up with a possible solution to the complaint.And be sure to respond to your positive reviews as well.When you show that you engage with all of your customers, prospective ones will be more likely to give you a shot.
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