Time to change your hotmail/gmail/yahoo password

Microsoft has confirmed that thousands of Windows Live accounts have been compromised with their passwords posted online. Mainstream media such as the BBC are also carrying the story. Some information is posted here.

Some password tips for your safety goodness:

• Change your passwords on a regular basis (every few months at the latest, every couple of months is better)
• Whenever possible, use long complex passphrases rather than passwords. They're easy to type, easy to remember, and difficult to crack.
  
• If ever you notice anything suspicious with your accounts, change all your passwords immediately... especially those guarding sensitive information such as financial sites, online e'mail, online storage, etc.
• Learn how to combat identity theft.
• Use a firewall.
• Use two firewalls, a software firewall, and a hardware port-forwarding firewall if possible.
• Never click links in emails. Ever.
• Try not to use the same password at multiple sites. If you must, then at least use passphrases. Not that you ever must.
• Never share your password with anyone. Ever.
• Always ensure that anytime you sign in to a website where sensitive information is stored, that you're signing into the correct and legitimate website, and that the connection is secure. If you don't see a closed padlock somewhere indicating that the connection is secure, or an "https" in the URL, then DO NOT LOG IN.

Be careful out there...