Strong passwords are the key to protecting your digital identity at work or at home. In our ever-evolving digital world, creating strong passwords has become a given when it comes to accessing our favorite services and devices. World Password Day is a great time to get started.
Why Do Strong Passwords Matter?
Why go through the effort to create a strong password? Weak passwords could expose your sensitive data to malicious actors. Changing your passwords regularly is also important, and could help you avoid issues, such as:
- Allowing unwanted access to sensitive accounts.
- Intrusions into multiple accounts with a shared password.
- Attacks by hackers who steal common access credentials.
- Data loss as a result of weak passwords.
World Password Day: Creating a Strong Password
If you’re ready to take your online security seriously this World Password Day, then it’s time to safeguard your online identity with the following tips:
- Create lengthy and complex passwords. Believe it or not, the most common password is “password.” Utilizing a combination of uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers and special characters will help you create strong passwords.
- Utilize a password manager. There is no need to memorize a list of passwords. You can find many password manager services online, most of which will autofill your information on preferred sites.
- Keep passwords out of sight. Another thing that password managers can help with is keeping your passwords out of sight. It can be tempting to write your passwords down, but that increases the risk of a breach if they were to fall into the wrong hands.
- Utilize multi-factor authentication. Wherever possible, you should enable multi-factor authentication. This feature will send a notification to your phone or email when your account is accessed. While it can sometimes be a pain to approve your own access to these services, it also allows you to take steps quickly if you see activity you don’t recognize. It is a simple and effective way to manage access to your accounts.
