Cyber crime is increasing every day, identity thefts, organized hackings, password leaks are the most notorious ones. Passwords are considered the last line of defense and when breached you are vulnerable to many attacks. It is not just the financial security that could be affected but also your professional and personal life. So, the stronger your password is the more secure your computer is. Follow some simple tips that guide you to form a strong password for online security.
- Never use your date of birth, anniversary dates or other important dates as your password as many people might already this info and for others it is easy to access this info through your online profile. This is the first option a hacker will try.
- Mix up your passwords to form a complex one. Use a complex password that has a mixture of numbers, capital and small letters etc to create unbreakable passwords.
- Simple ones should be avoided. Sequences like “123” or “abc” should not be kept as passwords as they are too easy for hackers.
- Do not use your name as password. Many around you know your name and sometimes even your friends may play a prank on you. So, never use your name or your mother’s maiden name or any other family members names are primary passwords.
- It is advisable to have a different password for every account. It is easy to remember only one password for every account you have but, remember if one account of yours is hacked then the hacker can lay his hands on your other accounts too as they too have the same password. So, it is best if you have a unique password for each account.
- When you have set different passwords for all your accounts and have written them somewhere for the fear of forgetting them, make sure you keep the written passwords somewhere safe.
- Use apps that are designed to rate the reliability of your password to avoid password destructibility.
- Maintain a minimum length of 8 characters or more as they are much safer and stronger.
- Avoid whole words as passwords. Instead use misspell words, acronyms etc.
- Make a habit of changing your passwords regularly, sharing them with none, never tick the option “remember my password” especially on shared devices.
Creating strong passwords is not a big deal, it just takes some simple rules and tips to create strong, easy to remember and difficult to crack passwords. Follow the above tips and you will have a great password.