Do you get frustrated with the complex password requirements for online accounts? And how do you remember all those different passwords?
Unfortunately, there is a reason for this trend of more complex password requirements. Over 80% of data breaches involve lost or weak passwords. Creating strong passwords should be one of your top priorities for keeping your online data safe.
Here are 5 Guidelines for Password Safety
- Keep it confidential. Don‘t share your passwords with others. And if you think your password may have been compromised, change it immediately.
- Make it complex. Don‘t use simple dictionary words or easy to guess numbers like your birthday. Also, the longer, the better. 8 characters are usually the minimum length, but those are still pretty easy for a hacker to crack.
- Change it up. Use a different password for each site. And that does not mean creating a pattern like Football1 and Football2.
- Change it often. Passwords to sensitive websites (like your online banking) should be changed every 60 to 90 days.
- Use passphrases instead of passwords. A passphrase will help you remember lengthy and more complex passcodes. Use a mix of upper and lower case, numbers, and special characters to create it. Still follow the other guidelines by not using something that is easily guessed by someone who knows you and use a different passphrase for each site.
You may be watching this and wondering how anyone can remember all those different complex passcodes. Well, consider using a password manager to help you out. There are many options available online. Just do your research and pick the one that‘s best for you.
Other ways to increase your online security are making answers to security questions complex just like your passcodes and using any extra security features that are available, like multi-factor authentication.
Thank you for watching and helping to keep everyone‘s data just a little safer.
