The Walk

          

  The Walk

Together we had walked once,
Holding hands on the road of life...
Now I walk alone,
As I watch your lonely walk ahead...
Isolation stares at me,
Urging me to find solace in her.
But she also walks with you
From the moment you left me behind.
And then I stopped walking,
And stood alone,
Watching the fading twilight
Wondering if we could walk together again.
It was then that you turned back
To face the old road where I stood still,
Waiting and watching……
And when our eyes met,
Isolation vanished...tracing her path back to her abode,
Then we walked again…
And this time though we both walked alone,
It was a better walk than the one before...
For neither of us had Isolation for company
But shared a new companion – Hope,
Who sat at the point where we would meet again,
As we walked towards each other.

Author: Mr.Deepak Yeshwanth Saibaba( My son)

IMPORTANCE OF STRONG PASSWORDS

This article on Password is re-posted with some revisions. 

Wikipedia's definition of a password as below:

"A password is a secret word or string of characters that is used for authentication, to prove identity or gain access to a resource (example: an access code is a type of password). The password must be kept secret from those not allowed access."

Passwords ensure the security and confidentiality of data that is stored on various workstations and servers

Passwords are one of the important things for any system. It will help you to maintain your identity so that others will not be able to view your account. You need to have a good password otherwise your password is likely to be hacked by others. Once they are successful in hacking your password they easily view your account. 


Generally, a password is made of many characters or digits and will not use any special character or a white space in between. In some systems passwords are case sensitive. Here you need to be extremely careful and remember to type the correct password accordingly. This is because some of the system will have some restriction and if you are mistyping the password repeatedly it is likely that your account will be denied access and you need to then go through the procedure that is in place in the system.

If you are going to choose a password which is not good then it means that your security of your account is not very good and there is always a fear that your account is going to be hacked and they will be able to access all the information that you have in your account. 


This is why it is stressed that the password that you choose should be good and a strong one. You need to realize the importance of having a strong password. 


Remember the password that you choose is only going to protect all the information that you have in your account. Keep this in your mind when you are selecting the password.

DOS AND DONTS FOR PASSWORD

DOs

• Use a password with mixed-case alphabets and special characters.
• Change the password after initial log on without fail
• change your password regularly
• Use Passwords difficult to guess.use a password with 8 or more characters. More is better.
• Store passwords in sealed envelopes and handover to the officer-in-charge wherever required.
• Maintain secrecy of password
• Your passwords should be as unique as you are.
•  create different passwords for different accounts and applications.

DON’Ts

• For Password do not use related words like your user-ID, your first or last name, Spouse’s/ family member’s names, date of birth , vehicle numbers, telephone numbers, the brand of your vehicle, the name of the street you live on, 123123, etc.
• Do not allow tracking of password while typing the password on keyboard.
• Do not write Passwords on the desk/keyboard etc to remember /preserve
• Do not lend Passwords/reveal passwords to others
• Do not reset passwords without the user’s acknowledgement in the register maintained.
• Do not pronounce the letters loudly while keying in the password
• DON'T choose your username as your password.
• DON’T Provide your password—or any of your sensitive or confidential information—over e-mail or instant message. 

Now watch this interesting video on "How to choose a Strong Password":

                DON'T FORGET TO FOLLOW THE FOLLOWING SIMPLE RULES

Tips for Safe Use of Automatic Teller Machines(ATMs)

About Automatic Teller Machines(ATMs)

An Automated Teller Machine (ATM), also known as a Cash Point (which is a trademark of Lloyds TSB), Cash Machine or sometimes a Hole in the Wall in British English, is a computerised telecommunications device that provides the clients of a financial institution with access to financial transactions in a public space without the need for a cashier, human clerk or bank teller. ATMs are known by various other names including ATM Machine, automatic banking machine, and various regional variants derived from trademarks on ATM systems held by particular banks.

Invented by IBM, the first ATM was introduced in December 1972 at Lloyds Bank in the UK. However, there is a plaque on Barclays Bank in Enfield Town, north London stating that the first ATM (in the world) was installed there on the 27th June 1967. 

On most modern ATMs, the customer is identified by inserting a plastic ATM card with a magnetic stripe or a plastic smart card with a chip, that contains a unique card number and some security information such as an expiration date or CVVC (CVV). 

Authentication is provided by the customer entering a personal identification number (PIN).

Using an ATM, customers can access their bank accounts in order to make cash withdrawals, credit card cash advances, and check their account balances as well as purchase prepaid cellphone credit. If the currency being withdrawn from the ATM is different from that which the bank account is denominated in (e.g.: Withdrawing Japanese Yen from a bank account containing US Dollars), the money will be converted at a wholesale exchange rate. Thus, ATMs often provide the best possible exchange rate for foreign travelers and are heavily used for this purpose as well.

Source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automated_teller_machine)


Whereas there are many advantages in the usage of  Automatic Teller Machines, the users should take enough precautions in the safe keeping  of the ATM cards provided to them and also to take precautions while doing transactions in  ATMs.

Tips for Safe Use of  Automatic Teller Machines(ATMs)

KEEP ATM CARD SAFE AND SECURE

i) Your card is very important and must be kept safely.

ii) Do not not keep your ATM card near any magnet or magnetic gadget like television set, magnetic compass, purse or wallet having magnetic locking arrangements as magnetic field may erase all data stored in the magnetic strip of your ATM card.

iii) Store your ATM card in a secure place where you will immediately know if it is missing.

iv) Store the ATM card carefully so that the magnetic stripe does not get damaged.
v) Never leave your Card unattended at places like your car, in a hotel room, workplace or at the bar and restaurant you visit
vi)DO NOT bend the card.
vii)DO NOT place two cards with magnetic stripes together.
viii)Cancel unused cards and shred blocked cards.

ix)Immediately report any stolen or lost ATM card to the proper authorities

                                          Security of ATM  PIN

• Your ATM PIN must be kept very secret since ATM card  can be misused by a person if he/she steals both the ATM card and the ATM PIN together.
• Change your PIN frequently; do not write it a piece of paper  or on the face/back of the ATM card but memorise it.
• Select a PIN that must be difficult to guess; avoid household numbers such as house number, car number, birthday etc.
• Never disclose your PIN to anyone including members of your family or relatives; if it gets divulged for some reason, change it immediately.
• Do not  keep pin and card together under any circumstances.

Precautions to be taken while doing transaction with the card

• Avoid using ATMs in remote / unprotected areas and avoid ATMs adjacent to obvious hiding places.
• If you want us to alert you whenever a transaction takes place on your account / Credit Card, you can register for the Bank's SMS Service by registering your Mobile number.

• Shield the screen and keyboard so anyone waiting to use the ATM cannot see you enter your PIN or transaction amount.
• Be careful when people you do not know offer to help you at an ATM.
• If you notice anything suspicious at the ATM you want to use e.g. tampering with the card slot / numbers pad or any suspicious activity around the ATM area, do not use the ATM and report your concern to the Bank immediately.
• Do not force your card into the card slot or if you feel that the ATM machine is not working properly for any reason, press the “Cancel” key, take your card and report it to the Bank. 
• If your card gets lost, captured or stuck in the ATM, report it to the Bank to block your card immediately.
• Make sure you get the card back after every transaction & only use it at ATMs /Point of Sale (POS) machines in reputed public locations / locations known to you.

• When using a drive in ATM, keep doors locked and passenger side and rear windows up.
• While using your card at a POS, ensure  that the merchant swipes the card in your presence.
• Check your account balances and statements regularly to ensure your accounts have not been accessed by anyone else and to identify any unusual transaction(s).