Online security relies heavily on the strength of our passwords. In order to keep your online accounts safe, a strong password is essential, regardless of whether you use email, social media, banking, or any other online service. In this article, we will tell you about some important tips to improve password security, enabling individuals to better navigate the online world and fortify their digital fortresses.
Strategies/tips for improving password security
There are many passwords that you use throughout the day to secure your online transactions. Passwords are the key to almost everything you do online. It can sometimes be inconvenient to select high-security passwords and manage them securely. Moreover, you can ensure the security of your passwords by following a few simple steps.
- Don’t share your passwords with anyone.
- For different accounts, use different passwords.
- Multi-factor authentication should be used (MFA).
- It is the length that trumps complexity.
Reasons behind common password mistakes
Weak passwords, insecure password sharing, and improper password storage are among common password mistakes. There are many cybersecurity risks associated with password mistakes, so taking your password security seriously is critical.
- Most internet users reuse the same password for more than one online account, which puts their accounts at risk of being hacked.
- In order to make their passwords different, many internet users add special characters or change a letter to make them more unique and reuse the same password for multiple accounts.
- If you use personal information in your passwords, you put yourself at risk of password breaches, such as the name of a family member, the birthdate, the name of a favourite sports team or even the name of your pet.
- When you share your password through insecure means, you make it easy for others to compromise it.
- You can make your password harder to crack by using a short password.
- To keep track of all of their account logins, many people keep their passwords in a spreadsheet or notepad. It is important to note, however, that these methods are secure methods of storing your passwords because they are unencrypted, and this allows cybercriminals to easily steal them by way of security breaches or malware attacks.
What are some of the password habits people have?
According to ExpressVPN, people have bad password habits far more often than they would like to admit. There are a few bad password habits you should avoid:
- Passwords containing any part of your name.
- Use the first row of characters on your keyboard in order.
- Include a meaningful number, such as your birthday.
- Choosing the password ‘password’
- Multiple websites using the same password or using numerous passwords
- Using only lowercase letters.
- Passwords should not be stored in memory, on paper, or anywhere else where they can easily be stolen or lost
- A password that hasn’t been changed in over six months
- When you share your password with people you do not fully trust or too frequently
- Your password shouldn’t be stored in your browser.
How can one create a stronger password?
People tend to use easy-to-remember passwords for multiple accounts, which makes cybercriminals’ lives simpler. Consequently, hacking into one account gives access to all the rest. In order to comply with these password guidelines, you should create new passwords for any accounts that do not follow them:
- It is not advisable to use sequential numbers or letters.
- You should not include your birthday or month/day in your password.
- It must include at least eight letters, numbers, and symbols.
- Put different unrelated words together in your password.
- It is not acceptable to use dictionary words or names.
- Using a password manager will help you manage your passwords.
- Ensure that you do not reuse your passwords.
Importance of password managers and two-factor authentication
If you are using a password manager, the two-factor authentication (2FA) is highly recommended. After entering your username and password, 2FA provides another layer of security through a second authentication process. However, according to ExpressVPN:
- It is less secure to use the passwords suggested by web browsers and remembered by them rather than using a password manager. Your password manager creates strong passwords, stores them, and protects them.
- You no longer need to worry about the strength of your passwords since password managers generate strong passwords. It is highly secure to use a password with more than 12 characters and a combination of different characters.
Importance of strong passwords
It is your password that protects most of your online accounts from being hacked. If you do not use up-to-date password practices, cyber-frauds can easily guess your passwords within a few hours. It is a risk you should never take to expose yourself to identity theft and extortion. To combat modern password theft methods, you will need to create passwords that are strong and difficult to crack. You could be the victim of cybercriminals if your account credentials are weak. However, if you do not want your password to be hacked, then you must take steps to prevent it.
So, that’s all we have for you about how you can easily improve password security. It’s our hope that this guide has helped you. Whenever you need more assistance, please leave a comment below.
