Recently I’ve paid more attention to recommendations for memorized keys. Should I always use a number in my password? Is it really more secure to add that special character at the end every time? What are some real best practices when you’re telling people to create strong, memorable passwords? First, I’ll make some assumptions to help think about this. I’m only talking about the passwords you absolutely must memorize – Otherwise we would all be better off using a password manager of some sort.

Recently, it came to light that the computer manufacturer Lenovo is bundling malware called Superfish in with their Microsoft operating systems. This malware acts in two ways: It compromises the way that computers verify what is a secured connection and what isn’t - some of the most essential components of internet security. For example, when you visit your bank website you’ll likely see something like this: A lock symbol, sometimes green, sometimes in greyish color that on a click should show you something like this: