To safeguard your personal information and uphold your online security in the current digital era, you must create strong, one-of-a-kind passwords for each of your accounts. It can be hard to think of secure and memorable passwords when there are so many accounts and passwords to remember. But don't worry, we'll give you some advice in this article on how to come up with secure passwords that are different for each of your accounts.
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Why Strong Passwords Are Important
To prevent hackers from accessing your online accounts, you must choose a strong password. A hacker can quickly decipher a weak password and gain access to your personal data, steal your money, and even use your identity to commit fraud. Contrarily, a strong password is far more difficult to decipher, making it more secure and resistant to hacker efforts.
We strongly advise setting up second-factor authentication for your online account. To learn how, see our blog post "Two-Factor Authentication To Protect Your Online Accounts And How To Set Them Up"
1. Combine Symbols, Numbers, and Letters
Using a mixture of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols is one of the best ways to make a strong password. Hackers will find it harder to break your password the more unique it is. Try choosing a complex password, such as "P@ssw0rd!23," as opposed to something basic like "password123."
2. Abstain From Using Private Information
Many people use their name, birthdate, phone number, pet's name, a family member's birthday, job title, hobby, interests, a portion of their home address, or the name of a family member as their password. Because it makes it simpler for hackers to guess your password, this is a serious error. Try to substitute a random assortment of letters, numbers, and symbols instead.
3. Refrain From Using Common Language
Avoid using words or phrases that are commonly used in passwords, such as "password" or "123456." These are some of the most often used passwords, yet they are also quite simple to guess. The use of dictionary terminology should be avoided. Swimming1 is an example of a bad password.
4. Use a Password Manager
A password manager is a piece of software that keeps track of all of your passwords in one location. You may use it to create secure passwords that are both one-of-a-kind and memorable. To access your password manager, you just need to remember one master password.
These are a few of the well-known password managers:
LastPass
1Password
Dashlane
KeePass
Keeper
5. Create a Password With at Least 12 Characters
Hackers will have a harder time breaking your password the longer it is. Make your password at least 12 characters lengthy, according to experts. Make sure to check the password requirements before establishing your password because some websites and programs require a minimum of 8 characters.
6. Adopt a Passphrase
A passphrase is a string of unrelated phrases that are simple to remember yet difficult to decipher. You could use a sentence like "ilovechocolatemilkandcookies" as an example rather than a random string of letters, numbers, and symbols. A passphrase is safer than a conventional password since it is longer.
7. Use Different Passwords for Different Accounts
Use different passwords for each account you have. All of your accounts with the same password may be at risk if one is compromised. If a hacker manages to guess one of your passwords, they will use that information to try to access both your personal and work accounts. Do not ever divulge your passwords to anyone. This includes your coworkers, the IT team, the customer service, and help desk staff, as well as your family and friends.
8. Consistently Change Your Passwords
To prevent account hacking, it's critical to change your passwords frequently. A new password should be changed every three to six months, depending on how sensitive the account is, according to experts.
9. A Password Generator
The most secure passwords are random ones. Instead of struggling to come up with one, you can utilize a password generator. Make sure you are using a trusted, secure password generator that is not storing or collecting your password. The password should ideally be generated on your own computer or device without sending any information over the internet.
Here are a few of the most popular password generators:
LastPass Password Generator
Dashlane Password Generator
Norton Password Generator
KeePass Password Generator
Random.org
10. Don't use old Passwords
Also, it's crucial to avoid recycling passwords, especially if they've already been compromised. It may sound basic, but you shouldn't use the same password twice. It's advisable to come up with a new one, even if you haven't used the old one in years. especially if you've already experienced password-hacking concerns.
11. Social Media Websites
You may now log in to a lot of websites, programs, and tools using your Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or other social network accounts. Since you do not need to generate a new username and password, this improves simplicity for the typical web user. You are, however, more susceptible to social network data breaches if you use this option. Do not use your social media network login information to access accounts or websites.
In order to safeguard your personal information and maintain your online security, it is essential to create strong, one-of-a-kind passwords. You can generate secure and memorable passwords for all of your accounts by using the advice in this article. Use a passphrase, make your password at least 12 characters long, use a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols, stay away from using personal information, use a password manager, and update your passwords frequently. You can be safe and secure in the digital world by following these best practices.
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