Passwords, though secure in the past, are not as reliable today. A good habit for anyone making a password is to follow a few guidelines. Creating a password that is at least 8 characters long, with numbers and symbols is a good start in building a strong password. You can make it even stronger by throwing some lowercase and uppercase characters in there. Weak passwords are like unlocked doors. With the right software and technology, any hacker can break a password given enough time. By using a little creativity, anyone can create a secure password.
Here are some tips that you can follow to make your life in the digital world safer:
Keep Your Passwords Secret
Would you ever find yourself shouting out your ATM card number and PIN in public? Of course you wouldn’t, right? Usernames and passwords should be no different. Your credentials are critical, and only you should know what they are. You shouldn’t even share them with your IT administrator. If someone comes asking for your password, beware; as it may be a scam.
Use Different Passwords
If you use one password for all your accounts, you’re putting them at risk. If one account gets compromised, the rest will be too. Make the effort to use a different password for different accounts. Use a password vault to store all your passwords for you to access if you forget any of them.
Implement Multi-Factor Authentication
Even if you create a strong password, there is still a possibility, however slim, that it can be cracked. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) provides an additional layer of security along with your username and password. MFA will require you to authorize a login after you (or anyone else, for that matter) has entered your correct credentials.
The Longer, The Better
A short, complex password is easier to crack than a long but less complicated one. An excellent password has a minimum length of 16 characters long.
Create Hard-To-Guess Passwords
When making passwords, it doesn’t necessarily have to be complicated for you to remember. Passwords like “iliketrains” or “i like trains” are hard to guess but very simple to remember. Try to avoid using single words followed by a number such as “pass1”. Hackers can use dictionaries or other sources to run commonly used passwords through the process to guess your password faster. Don’t use any information that your friends know in your password, such as your birthday. If your friends know it, the hackers will know it too.
Complexity Still Helps
Include uppercase and lowercase characters, numbers, and even special characters in your password. To create a secure password, a combination of at least three of the above can make for a password that’s hard to crack. Turn “I like trains” into “I Lik3 Trains!”
Use a Password Vault
As previously mentioned, password vaults and managers are where you can store all your passwords securely. It provides easy access to passwords in an organized manner and, if you do have multiple computers, syncs them across the systems.
Remember, your login credentials are just as important as the money in your bank account. Keep it safe and secure, and avoid any headaches from dealing with a compromised account.
