How to choose the right password?

You’ve probably heard the term “password,” but what is it really? A password is a word or phrase that you use to access an account. It’s usually used in conjunction with other information like your name and email address, but without the password, you can’t get into that account.

You may have heard about how important it is to have strong passwords for your online accounts because they can help protect sensitive data from hackers who want access to personal information like credit card numbers or Social Security numbers. But did you know that there are certain types of passwords that make it easier for hackers?

Importance of Password Length and Complexity

A good password should be long and complex. The longer your password, the less likely it is that someone will crack it by guessing or brute forcing (trying all possible combinations).

A strong password should also have a mix of upper- and lowercase letters, numbers and special characters (such as !@#$%^&*()_+[]{}|:;”‘<>?,./). So how can you create a strong password for your accounts? Use the following tips for that:

  • Use at least 12 characters in length – the more characters, the better! This will help prevent brute force attacks from being successful against your accounts
  • Use both upper case letters, lower case letters and numbers when creating your passwords – this makes them harder to guess by hackers because there are more possible combinations than if you only use one type of character
  • Let a system generate a password for you. You can use a safe tool like an online password generator or a password manager for that.

Dangers of Password Reuse

Password reuse is a dangerous habit that many people have. This is when you use the same password for multiple accounts, which means if one of your accounts gets hacked, then all of them are at risk. For example, if someone steals your Netflix password and uses it to log into another account (like Gmail), they’ll be able to access all your private information including emails and photos.

The best way to avoid this issue is by using unique passwords for each online account; however, memorizing dozens of different codes can be difficult. Especially if you have multiple accounts with different websites and apps (And we all have this)! Instead, let a password manager generate strong passcodes automatically. By doing that, no matter how many sites you visit or apps you download onto your phone or computer, your information remains safe from hackers who may try their luck at guessing what those passwords might be.

Common Password Errors

Some errors we are encountering on a daily basis are:

  • Using easily guessable personal information such as birthdates or pet names.
  • Using the same password for multiple accounts.
  • Changing the password frequently (Yea that’s right. This is an issue!).
  • Writing passwords on post its.
  • Telling other people your passwords.

Finally – What should you do?

To wrap up, here are some tips on how to choose a strong password and what you should avoid:

  • Use at least 10-12 characters. The longer your password is, the more secure it will be.
  • Include both letters and numbers. Mixing in special characters (like ! or @) can also help make your password stronger if you’re having trouble coming up with something original or memorable on your own!
  • Avoid using words that are easy to guess or find online–like your name, birthdate, pet’s name etc.. This includes common phrases also!
  • Try using a password manager that helps you storing and managing your passwords. They are available for free and payed. We can recommend NordPass for that.
  • Add MFA to all of your account in case one password fails.

If you want to learn more on how you can protect yourself online we can suggest this post.

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