If you regularly use the Internet and social media, you might already be familiar with using a password. Though we do not take them seriously, passwords are essential when using the internet or social media platforms.
Why is a password ESSENTIAL?
A password is more like a weapon that helps us protect our essential details from malware and hackers. A strong password is handy as it is difficult to guess or crack through the attacks.
Do you know what a brute force attack is?
It is a method that involves different combinations of characters, letters, and numbers until the hacker or the illegal user finds the correct password. They try different combinations repeatedly until they get the correct one figured out. A weak password is like an invitation for these ill legal users. Anyone pro at working with the Internet can guess the passwords quickly when they are invalid. It helps hackers easily access an account soon.
As I mentioned above, a weak password has a significant security risk. It can lead the user to the data breaches. However, a strong password could prevent unauthorized users from accessing personal accounts and information. It would be best to have password protection, especially for the financial information and social media accounts where you share your data.
Only a very few know that password reuse is not safe. But we still do it. It is a hazardous practice as the hackers could access multiple accounts through the same password. If the password is secure, no one can easily access, guess, or misuse it.
How do you choose a strong password?
If you are a frequent user of social media or the Internet or use the Internet for financial matters, you have to maintain a solid password to protect all your accounts. So here are a few tips to create a stronger password.
As you know the importance of a strong password, let us see how you can create a stronger one to secure your data.
Create a password with mixed characteristics.
Make sure to use the upper-case and lower-case letters in combination. Also, you need to add a few numbers and symbols to make the password much more robust and more complex to guess. The complicated the password is, the hackers can hardly imagine it through brute force attacks.
Refrain from using a password that you could guess easily.
If you are new to using the Internet, this is a crucial fact you must remember. Refrain from using a password that you could guess easily. Do not use information such as your name and the date of birth that are very common. Also, never use familiar or common terms as passwords that make the hackers find out quickly. This basic information could be reached through social media profiles very easily. So, make sure to be very careful when you decide your password.
The length of the password matters.
Longer passwords are the strongest. And it is hard to remember by any other person than you. Using a password with at least eight characters is always recommended. But it is ideal to have a password of about 12 characters, which is extremely strong. Research shows that longer passwords are difficult to crack. So, make sure to create a password that has about 12 characters so that it is safe and secured from hackers.
Never reuse the passwords in different accounts.
Using the same password in many accounts puts you at risk. If anyone guesses the password correctly, that person can access all your accounts, including the bank details and other highly confidential reports. The recommendation is to use a unique password for each account.
Use a password manager.
Obtaining assitance from a password manager is the best way to generate a strong password. The password manager will reset the password safely for you. This will free you from the hassle of keeping the password in memory. The password manager will store the password safely, which makes it easy to have a set of unique passwords for every account.
Update your password regularly.
Another critical concern is updating your password regularly so no one can easily track the password. It is recommended that you update it every few months to ensure security. It is very relevant to accounts with sensitive information like banking details.
Apart from these critical factors, it is essential to have additional security measures like multifactor authentication to ensure further security of your password. Keep in mind that cyber hackers are more sophisticated and prevalent, so you must follow the best practices for password-protecting your accounts.
Tips to create a strong password
In general, here are a few steps to create a strong password.
- Do not use sequential numbers.
- Never use your date of birth, month, or year in your password.
- Use a good combination of letters, numbers, and characters
- Use a password manager
- Never use the same password for more than one instance
These are the essential tips to remember to create a strong password.
Also, make sure to avoid the below in your password.
- Do not use your details in the password.
- Do not use your pet’s name.
- Do not include the details about your family members in your password.
- Any word related to your occupation, hobby, or other interest should not be used.
- Phone numbers or home address details should not be used.
Hackers and cybercriminals are smarter than you think. They can quickly get hold of a victim through this sensitive information and hack your accounts. They keep looking for clues about you, and once they get familiar with the details, they can easily guess the past words. These criminals can strategically trace the passwords through the sensitive information you share on your accounts.
A few standard password generators at a glance!
If you doubt creating a strong password, you can get help from a password generator. Several related password generators will help you to create a strong password.
Below are a few of them that you can try out.
These password generators allow you to create a strong password for yourself. Also, it will support you with the integration. It also has self-service support and can cancel easily if you no longer need it. Some of these are free sites, and some charge a nominal amount. You can choose the best option as you wish.
Answers to the Frequently Asked Questions
Here are a couple of questions with the details and tips that might help you to clarify your concerns.
What are the four best practices for passwords?
Below are the main methods you should remember when generating a password.
As mentioned above, always go for a password with at least 12 characters. More than 12 would be legal and safe.
Make sure to use a combination of lower- and upper-case letters and characters when you form your password.
Do not use common names or words that can be easily found in a dictionary.
Every time you renew the password, use a significantly different one from the previously used password.
What are four creative methods to make a password strong?
Always be creative when you generate your password. Then, it will take a lot of work to guess and be unique. The stronger the password, the more protection you get.
Use a phrase and combine shortcut codes or acronyms for a unique password. You can use terms that have some meaning to you. Like “do what you like and like what you do.” Also, be creative and make a password, then represent the account it’s used for. If it is for banking, you can use a phrase related to money. Use a word about sharing and caring if it’s for social media. Here are a few examples of some strong passwords you can create.
- 14AlnAl41-One for all and all for One
- 2Bont2B-to be or not to be
- 2GeTrVGro-Together we grow
Make sure to create a password that has familiar elements. But it would be best to customize it according to the account or the site you plan to use it for.
- Luv2Ggle-Love to Google- love to google
- Spnd4fn-Spend for fun- spend for fun.
- Frnds-4mfCbk- friends from Facebook
You could also create unique and creative passwords by playing with your keyboard. Most of the computer keyboards have 101 to 105 keys. So, you have a million options for creating a unique password. You do not have to think of the numbers and letters. Just move on the keyboard to create a shape or a figure and get those letters and characters in to pass the word. Also, there is an option for you to use the symbols and signs on the keyboard to create animations like hearts, smiley faces, and sad faces. You could incorporate them in your past words, making it hard to guess.
Wrapping up…
I hope that the tips and information shared throughout this article will be helpful for new users and those who have the experience to get to know the importance of cyber security and the need for a solid password to protect your accounts and personal details.