A strong and unique password is one of the best ways to protect your personal information from hackers and cyber criminals.

It is important to choose a password that is difficult for others to guess, and to never share your password with anyone else. It is also a good idea to change your password regularly to further protect your accounts.

What to do and what not to do

Do:

  • Use 2FA/MFA
  • Use a combination of letters, numbers, and special characters, such as!, #, or $.
  • Avoid using common words or phrases that can be easily guessed or found in a dictionary.
  • Use a long password, ideally at least 12 characters, to make it more difficult to crack.
  • Avoid using the same password for multiple accounts.
  • Consider using a password manager to help you generate and securely store unique, random passwords for each of your accounts.
  • It’s also a good idea to periodically change your password to keep it secure. This can help to prevent others from guessing or cracking your password, even if it was initially strong.
  • A weak password is a password that is easy for someone to guess or hack. This can include passwords that are short, common words, or simple patterns.

Don’t:

  • Use a short password: A password that is less than 8 characters long can be easily guessed or hacked.
  • Use a common word or phrase: Many people use common words or phrases as their password, such as “password” or “12345.” These are easy for hackers to guess, so it’s important to avoid using them.
  • Use personal information: Using personal information, such as your pet’s name or children’s birthdate, in your password can make it easier for someone to guess.
  • Reuse passwords: If you use the same password for multiple accounts, a hacker who can guess your password on one account will be able to access all your other accounts as well.
  • Not regularly updating your password: It’s important to regularly update your password to keep it secure. If you haven’t updated your password in a while, it may be time to create a new, stronger on.

Use multifactor authentication

Multifactor authentication, also known as two-factor authentication (2FA), is a security process in which a user is required to provide two “factors,” to verify their identity. This can include something the user knows, such as a password or PIN, something the user has, such as a security token or a smartphone, and something the user is, such as a fingerprint or facial recognition.

Using multifactor authentication can help to increase the security of your accounts and protect your information from being accessed by unauthorized users.

There are many ways that passwords can be hacked

Some common methods include using a dictionary attack, where the hacker uses a pre-generated list of common passwords to try and guess the password; a brute force attack, where the hacker tries every possible combination of characters to try and guess the password; and phishing, where the hacker tricks the user into giving them the password by posing as a legitimate entity.

Additionally, passwords can also be stolen through data breaches, where hackers gain access to a database of user passwords, or using keylogging software, which records everything the user types on their keyboard.