Your concerns are very valid and I applaud you for having the sense to even consider your safety on the Internet. A lot of folks don't give it any thought at all which is a shame.
However, all of the applications Ed has asked us to download should be safe. You won't be harassed by viruses or spyware from installing anything required for the 30DC.
As a computer professional (military and private sector) for 10+ years here's my advice.
1. Don't give out any personal information that you would feel uncomfortable with strangers knowing about you. I don't see a problem with using your real name and hometown.....but obviously, you may not want to divulge your address, phone number, SSN, or any other "valuable" personal information to the Internet at large.
2. Use strong passwords: Your birthdate, kid's name, or phone number don't make wise passwords. If someone wanted to hack (gain access to) one of your accounts, these are some of the first things someone would try to use to guess your password. A strong password will consist of a combination of lowercase letters, uppercase letters, numbers, and special characters. Examples include: MaD!411, H3lloW0r!D, Start109$
3. You've got to evaluate the risk/sensitivity factor for the accounts you are using. Ask yourself, "What would happen if someone hacked "X" account?" A compromised work email account or corporate Intranet site might be a really big deal but what would really happen if someone hacked your twitter or StubleUpon account? In most instances, this would just present a hassle at worst. Trust me, most hackers are not concerned with John Doe's twitter, StumbleUpon, gmail, or 30DC account.
4. As far as remembering passwords......some experts might tell you to choose a separate "strong" password for every account you have. In my experience, I find that it is acceptable to use one strong password for all of my "non-critical" web accounts. By using one strong password, I'm able to commit it to memory and am not forced to write down multiple passwords. Just like your PIN number for your debit/ATM card, your online passwords are more vulnerable if you have them written down somewhere where another person may find them. Of course, it would be smart to use separate passwords for your banking, credit cards, and work related accounts.
I hope my ramblings here provide some usefulness. Maybe others can provide further helpful feedback. Good luck to you in the 30DC!
|