Passwords permeate our online lives. It seems like you can’t do anything online or at work without creating, knowing, or remembering a password! We’re willing to put up with the headache of juggling different passwords because they’re supposed to make our lives more secure.
But do they?
Chances are, your online password security is lacking. That leaves you open to the possibility of your passwords getting hacked.
It’s time for a password overhaul. Here are a few easy-to-follow tips that will help you create passwords that are actually secure.
The following tips are explained in-depth below:
- Choose a long password
- Use more than just letters and numbers
- Don’t use actual words
Longer Passwords Are Better
Short passwords are easy to remember, but if they’re easy to remember, they’re easy to hack. That’s why it’s important to create lengthy passwords. But, how long is long enough?
It’s generally recommended to choose a password that is at least 8 characters long. However, it’s even better if you can choose a password that is 12 characters or longer. The more characters, the more possible combinations, and the more difficult it is to hack.
Think Beyond Letters and Numbers
You know that you need to include numbers in your password, and it goes without saying your password contains letters, but an unhackable password goes beyond letters and numbers.
The best passwords utilize non-alphanumeric symbols, and those symbols are used throughout the password, not just at the beginning or end. It’s so important that Microsoft recommends this strategy for making passwords more complex.
Don’t Use Words You Can Find in the Dictionary
Short passwords are easy to remember, but so are passwords that make sense. That’s why so many people have been hacked using the password “password”.
How can you ever hope to remember a password that’s just a jumble of letters? The key is to create a jumble of letters that makes sense to you, but no one else.
Start with a phrase or sentence, and shorten it using the first few letters. For example, start with the phrase “I attended Lincoln High School in 10th grade” and change it to “IattLHSi#10g”
Check the Strength of Your Password
It can be difficult to look at your password objectively. You aren’t a hacker, so you don’t know what kinds of passwords they find the easiest to hack. You don’t necessarily want to ask someone else for their opinion either because then they’ll know your password!
The solution is to check the strength of your password online. Just make sure you choose a reputable checker, like Microsoft’s password checker.
And of course, make sure you use a different password for every site. Reusing passwords just means hackers can access more of your information!
It takes a little time and effort to create the perfect passwords, but it’s well worth it. You can rest easy knowing that your bank account, work accounts, and other personal information are protected when you choose the right password.