Over the past year or so, well-publicized hacks into email services and social networks have prompted me to change several passwords.
Of particular concern is all the spam I get from Yahoo addresses. The problem has died off, but several months ago I must have sent an average of three messages a week telling people their accounts were hacked and asking them to change their passwords and delete all contacts in their Yahoo online address book.
Ideally, people (myself included) would change their passwords regularly. But few people make password changes part of their routine.
Fortunately, social networks are strengthening their security. LinkedIn, for instance, now offers two-step verification, which makes it more difficult for people to hack into your account.
LinkedIn explains their new security feature in this blog post. Check it out. It’s a short read, and I highly recommend you take this step.