Any time there is a major security update to a piece of software I use or some sort of breach to an online service that I am associated with, I am reminded of some basic security best practices that I should be performing on a regular basis.

When asked questions like “should I be concerned” or “do you think this will affect me,” my answer is always YES, as that is the safe answer to assume. While no security plan is absolute, the following checklist should serve as a continual guide to help stay as secure as possible without having to totally disconnect from the internet:

ID and password best practices

Always use strong passwords – A strong password is not the same as a password that you feel is difficult to guess. It is one that is time-consuming for a computer to systematically generate in large numbers. Apple’s