One of the first things I tell new clients is that they should change passwords on their email account(s) to avoid the potential that their spouse, former spouse or others will be able to access and read confidential attorney-client communications. This is particularly important when spouses share the same computer or the same home network.
In the November 7, 2012 issue of the New York Times, Tech writer Nicole Perlroth writes:
Not long after I began writing about cybersecurity, I became a paranoid caricature of my former self. It’s hard to maintain peace of mind when hackers remind me every day, all day, just how easy it is to steal my personal data.
More recently, I received a text message from Google with the two-step verification code for my Gmail account. That’s the string of numbers Google sends after you correctly enter the password to your Gmail account, and it serves as a second password. (Do sign up for it.) The only problem was that I was not trying to get into my Gmail account. I was nowhere near a computer. Apparently, somebody else was.
Perlroth's concise recommendations for password security is a must-read. Then, some rainy Sunday afternoon, take action. As tiresome as it may be to change passwords for all of those websites requiring passwords (my list runs to 53, currently in a password-protected Excel document), it's a necessary safeguard.
You may read the article here: Perlroth, Nicole (2012, November 7). How to Devise Passwords That Drive Hackers Away. New York Times. Last accessed Nov. 11, 2012.
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