The internet has been around for a long time but, as a nation, we still haven’t nailed the art of setting passwords. In fact, the two most common passwords on the web are ‘123456’ and ‘password’. While they might be easy to remember, they’re also easy to hack. But, fear not as in this article we reveal how you can create a strong password to keep your data protected at all costs.
Come up with an unusual word
92% of people use the same password across different platforms and sites. This makes it incredibly important to come up with a unique combination of numbers, letters and symbols so that it’s not easily guessed. Why not use the letter O instead of a zero? Or, the number one for the letter I. The more unusual the better and, if they’re grammatically incorrect or not in the dictionary, that’s fine too.
If we take a look at common passwords around the world, it’s clear that many use their first name, last name, date of birth and even social security number. The best passwords are those that don’t mean anything. Instead of being based on factual data and information, and therefore easier to predict if someone knows you, consider using a random password generator.
Remember, bigger is better
Hackers will try a few different versions of passwords and multiple methods when trying to hack into an account. There is, of course, what’s known as manual hacking, which is when an attacker will manually type in letters and numbers. Alternatively, there are brute force attacks. This is when a computer automatically runs through letters, numbers, and symbols to guess passwords.
The longer and more complicated your password, the longer the hacking process takes and the more likely they are to give up. New data has also revealed that three-character passwords can be hacked in less than one second.
Don’t copy passwords
We already know that most people reuse passwords, which is another reason why someone’s password may be more easily hacked. When hacks are completed, a list of email addresses and passwords that were compromised are usually leaked. If yours is up there, and you use the same password and email address combination elsewhere, your other accounts may also be at risk.
For this reason, it’s super important that you not only use inventive passwords for different sites but that you change them regularly. Plus, once you’ve used a certain password, refrain from using it so soon again.
Keep them protected
Once you do have strong passwords, it’s important to keep them under wraps. Be careful who knows your passwords, be mindful of who can see your passwords being typed in and consider using a password manager to store them on your behalf.
This will encrypt and hide your passwords in a central location. To access them, you need either a master password, a fingerprint touch or a face recognition entry to ensure that they don’t land in the hands of someone else.
These are just a few ideas for creating strong passwords. There are plenty of other ways you can protect your data. However, if you come up with an unusual phrase, don’t let anyone else know what it is and change it regularly, you’ll be taking those essential steps to combat any password hacking.