Heartbleed Bug
You may have heard about the latest internet security issue on the news. The issue is called the Heartbleed Bug and you can find all types of information about it if you search for it on the internet.
Since this issue was discovered in a very popular software package used to encrypt data, it could impact your E-Mail, and any other Web site systems that you use for your business or personal, where you login using a secure connection.
A Secure Connection Example is: https:// (Not http://)
Many Acorn Internet Services E-Mail clients use Rackspace or Fastmail for accessing their business E-Mail accounts. As with most E-Mail systems, each of these were running the encryption software that had the security vulnerability. Both of these E-Mail systems have been updated to protect your E-Mail accounts from the Heartbleed Bug, but they are recommending that all users also update their passwords.
If you are currently using Rackspace
Step 1: Go to http://webmail.acorn-is.com/
Step 2: Login
Step 3: Click the ICON (3 horizontal lines) in the top right corner
Step 4: Select Settings
Step 5: Update your Password and Save
If you are currently using Fastmail
Step 1: Go to https://www.fastmail.fm/
Step 2: Login
Step 3: Click on the down arrow in the top left hand corner
Step 4: Select Password and Security to update your password
Hint: Don't know if you are using one of the two Acorn IS Mail systems listed above?
Check your Invoice you received on April 1, 2014. If you use Rackspace, there will be a fee charged for that service.
If there is no fee charged, Fastmail invoices their services separately. You will need to check your records to see if you pay for Fastmail services.
If you pay for neither with Acorn IS, we recommend you investigate the E-Mail system that you do use. Determine if your E-Mail company experienced the Heartbleed Bug. If they did, then determine if they have updated their software to remove this vulnerability. Typically, if this is the case, you would receive and E-Mail from that company or be able to find an online announcement regarding their actions.
If they did have the vulnerability, and they have taken the steps to update the software, then you should also update your password. |
General Password Advice
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It is recommended to make sure the password is not simple.
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A mixture of numbers and letters with upper and lower case make it difficult for a password to be guessed.
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Make sure you save the password somewhere safe so that if you do forget it you can look it up.
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It is not recommended that you use the same password on different systems.
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Once you reset your password then you will also need to update your E-Mail clients and mobile devices that also access that E-Mail account with your new password.
Final Thoughts
What makes this security issue so very serious is: if a hacker did exploit the Heartbleed Bug vulnerability, they could steal important information. This important information may very well include the password used to login to that system. There would be no trace of them stealing this information. This is why any system that had the vulnerability is recommending that passwords are changed.
Next Steps
If you use either Rackspace E-Mail or Fastmail, your E-Mail password would have been given to your by Mark Kolb when he originally helped you setup your E-Mail account.
If you did not save off this password for safe keeping, you may E-mail Willie at willie@acorn-is.com. Willie will be able to E-mail you the password from when the account was originally setup. If you have changed your E-Mail password after the original setup, we have no record of those changes.
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