PC Magazine Windows Vista Security Solutions

The security of any Windows Vista system is only as good as the passwords used to protect it. Keep the following points in mind when it comes to managing user account and other system passwords:

• Create strong passwords that are at least eight characters long and include upper-and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.

• Never include your username, real name, or other personal details in passwords.

• Assign every user account a unique password.

• Change passwords regularly.

• Immediately change any password that may have been compromised.

• Personal user account passwords should never be shared with friends, family, or other users.

• Educate other users on the importance of implementing strong passwords and changing them regularly.

• Use Password Policy and Account Lockout Policy settings to improve user account security on Windows Vista Enterprise, Business, and Ultimate systems.

• Review the contents of the Event Viewer Security Log periodically.

• Have every Windows Vista user create a password-reset disk.

• Consider using password management software to securely store details for different user accounts.

• At a minimum, add a BIOS supervisor password to your system.