Changing Security-An Inside Look at One Time Passwords

Authentication is widely used by businesses as a way to ensure privacy of certain information. Financial institutions use authentication to provide their customers with access to their own accounts. Healthcare facilities use authentication to ensure they’re treating the right patient with the right procedures.
There are numerous forms of authentication available today. Some are more involved than others, and some require the use of multiple factors in order to gain access to information. The type of authentication used by a company is totally their decision.
One of the more popular authentication tactics is the use of one time passwords, otherwise known as OTP. Put simply, an OTP is a password that is given to an individual for one time use to gain access. Once the password has been used, it is no longer valid and will no longer work to provide access.
What is the purpose of one time passwords?
Like any other authentication tactic, one time passwords help protect companies and their customers from fraudulent activity. Most hackers and scam artists rely on certain tools to access information, such as passwords, that people use to gain access to accounts or restricted areas of buildings. When companies use one time passwords, the risk of hackers and scam artists gaining information is eliminated, because once a password is used, it will no longer work.
How are OTPs delivered?
Since OTPs change quickly, it’s important that they are provided to the right individuals in a time efficient manner. For this reason, there are multiple ways that companies provide this information to their recipients. Some companies give their employees and/or clients a certain utensil, such as a token. Information including the new password is then sent to this token, giving the person access. Other companies simply send the new password to a mobile device or electronically through email. And then there are some who simply print out the password and hand it to the intended recipient.
Some companies generate their OTPs on a daily basis. For example, if you work for a company that requires OTP to access information on your computer, your employer may only require you to log in once at the beginning of the day and logout at the end of the day. Then, the following work day, you will be provided with a new password.
On the other hand, there are companies that change the password every time a user logs in or out of a certain system. For example, if you are trying to access information on a website that uses OTP, and you need to access this site multiple times throughout the day, you may be given a new password for every log in.
How are OTPs created?
Some OTPs are created based on time. The company that generates the OTP can have a new line of passwords sent to employees and clients at a certain time every day.
Some OTPs are created once the OTP before it has been used. For example, if you have an OTP and you log into a website using the OTP, you may receive your next OTP before you are even done using the site.
How much does implementing OTPs cost?
The cost of OTPs will vary on the type and extensiveness of your desires. If you are looking for an OTP to print out new passwords on paper or implement it to exist on devices you already own, then OTP is extremely cost effective. On the other hand, if you want a more intricate OTP experience that pushes new info out to new devices that you currently don’t have in your possession, you’re looking at spending a significant amount of money.
The bottom line is that authentication is becoming the norm, whether you want to access an area of a hospital, look at your online bank account or even log in to your social network. Companies are implementing tactics to keep you and your information secure, and using one time passwords is one of these options.


author : Stella Brown writes about custom authentication methods and other online security applications.

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4 Tips on Choosing a Safe and Secure Password

Don’t get me wrong; the Internet is a wonderful, wonderful place. There are so many great, unique people that make up this beautiful digital melting pot. However, just like in any diverse city, for every hundred upstanding citizens, there are a few bad apples. These people are up to no good, and unless you take the appropriate precautions, you might just end up being the victim of their malicious shenanigans. So what is your first line of defense against these cyber-outlaws? To effectively ward off attacks, your first priority must be to adequately protect your confidential information. The best way to accomplish this, in theory, would be to not share any confidential information online whatsoever. But the great extent to which the world-wide-web has woven its way into the fabric of our existence renders this option impractical. With this in mind, your first line of defense would by default go to your password.
A strong password is extremely effective at keeping you secure online, but what constitutes a strong password? Here are a four tips to ensure that your information is in a safe that only you are privy to the combination for.

Tip number one: The acronym trick

Think of a phrase that you can remember easily, such as “You Only Live Once on Earth.” Now take the first letter of every word (besides filler words like “on” and “you”), and that will be the base of you password. For instance the above phrase would translate into “yoloe”. Make sure it’s no less then five words though, for maximum security.

Tip number two: Capitalize one of the letters

Take the acronym you chose and capitalize one of the letters. I would recommend one of the middle letters, but capitalizing any letter will add an extra layer of security that will make it a real pain for hackers to crack.

Tip number three: Add a number

Another option in making your password a near unpenetratable fortress is adding a number or two. This will make your password so crazy hard to figure out that even the most determined dirtbags will more than likely throw in the towel. Match point.

Tip number four: Use a character

Adding special characters like $ or # would give you that extra layer of security. It can be any of the character that makes sense to you and you can even add it to your acronym like: “Everyone is a Star Worthy of Living Well and Mighty Once”. This can translate to “e*wlwm1”, star in this case is * and once is the number 1.
There you have it! If you followed these instructions, you can rest easy knowing that your any information that needs a password will be for your eyes only. Code away!


Brendan Sevack is a social enthusiast and a blogger for Wazala.com specializing in social commerce and social media marketing. Studied audio engineering, but soon after realized he prefers to share with words rather than sound.

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information management-how to be proactive and secure your data

How to be proactive and secure your confidential data

With the masses of documents that a modern business can generates, the last thing that you need is to spend time and effort searching through them to find the one you need. As irritating as this hunt through dusty archives and unorganised digital files can be, it also wastes valuable time which could be spent in a far more efficient manner and could even lead to overlooking aspects of data protection legislation – which has serious consequences, including fines of up to £500,000. So, proper information management not only has to save time (and reduce the risk of high blood pressure) but is vital to the proper running of a company.

The risk of undergoing some form of loss of data and documentation, during the time you are in business, is high enough to be a concern and a catastrophic loss may mean that you never recover.

However, there are information management companies that can help: with customised solutions and planning, risks of overlooking legalities or being ruined by a natural disaster are considerably minimised.

Entering the Modern Day

As foreboding a task as it may seem, bringing an old, well-established company into the modern day is vital to keeping up with competition. Information management is greatly simplified once everything has been brought up to date with modern practices.

Advances in technology can be seen as both a blessing and a curse in information management. Digital files and electronic copies of documentation means greater security and organisation at the click of a button, also the space saved by getting rid of those dust-ridden filing cabinets. However, bringing older documents into the digital age is not as simple as handing files over to whoever has a few moments to spare: often, it requires specialised knowledge which many members or staff may not have.

Information management companies can step in here, offering management services which digitise and organise older companies, gently coaxing them into the modern age.

Information Management Companies

Usually, the services offered by information management companies will include, amongst others, the following:

• Modernisation: The most popular service offered by these companies is the modernisation of companies which find they clinging to ancient practices. Scanning documents and digitizing media of all sorts brings companies into the modern age and comes with a huge number of advantages. Information management companies provide this service to make the transition simple, smooth and effortless.
• Management and Storage: Information management companies offer archiving and storage of paper copies of documents as well as storing digital and electronic media. They create management profiles which are created specifically for each individual company, customised to that company’s unique need.
• Safe Data Destruction: Environmentally friendly and extremely thorough destruction, be it merely shredding of paper files or the complete obliteration of digital media, ensures that businesses are certain of the proper disposal of documents.

 

Written by:

Nathan Morgan has been a IT professional for 14 years. His work is currently focused on Linux servers. He has encryption experience including the deployment of True Crypt and similar packages, and detailed knowledge of document scanning solutions to transform off-line archives into accessible digital data.

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