How to Create a Strong Password

We know it's a pain to come up with a new password for each site and application you frequent, not to mention how frustrating it can be to remember all of them, but having a strong password can mean all the difference in securing your account. This article outlines our password complexity requirements to assist you in that endeavor. It includes a few helpful tips and tricks to get you started.

Much of the traditional advice about creating a strong password is pretty much the same: the longer, the better; use a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols to make it complex; avoid using personal information; and don't use a word found in the dictionary. Still, it all holds to scrutiny, even now that security concerns are greater than ever.

Historically, password complexity was favored over length. Still, criminals discovered that shorter passwords are easier to hack, even if similar numbers or characters substitute a few letters. The trick is creating a long, complex password that can withstand various hacking attempts.

• Password Best Practices
• How to Create a Strong Password
  • Strong Password Do's
  • Strong Password Don'ts
• Summary

Password Best Practices

With most of our daily activities are performed online nowadays, securing our online accounts with strong passwords is crucial. However, managing multiple passwords can be challenging and requires much effort.

This section will discuss some of the best practices for managing passwords to ensure the security and safety of your online accounts.

• Never to share your password with others. This is the cornerstone of password security, as keeping your passwords confidential is the key to preventing unauthorized access to your accounts.
• Use different passwords for each account. If one password is compromised, having different passwords for each account will limit damage.
• Consider using a password manager, a tool that enhances security and simplifies managing multiple passwords. These tools are secure and convenient, as they can store and generate complex passwords for your accounts, making your online life easier and safer.
• Be extremely cautious when using public computers. Remember, these devices may be infected with malware or keyloggers that can stealthily steal your login credentials, so it's best to avoid logging in from them if possible.
• Check whether your passwords have been compromised. Use reputable tools to check whether your passwords have been involved in data breaches or leaks.
• Create a strong password. Use a combination of upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols to create a strong and unique password that is difficult to guess. For more detailed information on how to create a strong password, continue reading.

How to Create a Strong Password

Creating a strong password is one of the simplest yet most effective ways to secure our online account. In this section, we'll discuss some do's and don'ts of creating a strong password that is both secure and easy to remember.

Strong Password Do's

• Make it memorable. Long, complex passwords are the most secure but often hard to remember. Try this to make it memorable: Think of an easy-to-remember phrase or piece of information, then replace letters with similar characters or symbols. You could take that phrase as an acronym before substituting symbols. For example, "I went to JFK High in 1975" can become "!WtJFKh1gh@I_75" or something similar.
• Use different passwords everywhere. You would use a different key for your house, car, mailbox, etc, so why would you use the same password for your online accounts? If a hacker obtains your password, they'll first check whether that password works for other websites. It only takes one compromised login to put all of your other accounts (that reuse the password) at risk.
• Use a password manager. A password manager—like LastPass, Dashlane, KeePass, 1Password, etc.—is an app that saves your login credentials for different sites and then automatically logs you in the next time you visit. Some will even generate unique, complicated passwords for you. They're available in any web browser; many apps will even sync across your devices.

Strong Password Don'ts

• Use dictionary words. Hackers can employ a list of every word in the dictionary (or multiple dictionaries) against a password database. Luckily, strong passwords aren't usually vulnerable to this kind of attack.
• Use common passwords. As with dictionary words, common passwords and generic sequences like password, admin, 123456, qwerty, etc., are also discouraged because they're easily hacked.
• Reference personal information. It's easy to remember names, phone numbers, birthdays, etc.. Still, that information is easy for hackers to find using social media and other methods.
• Write It Down. If someone finds your password, they could do any number of things with your account, such as logging in, changing or stealing information, and even resetting your password. This is especially a problem with banking and email passwords.
• Share it. Sharing your password with a friend or family often seems harmless. Still, it could be easily mishandled and fall into the wrong hands.
• Log in from public computers. In a public place, it's easy for someone to look over your shoulder to view your password as you enter it. And it's even easier to accidentally save your login information for a particular website, allowing the next visitor access to your account.

Summary

Taking password security seriously is crucial in today's digital age. By learning how to create a strong password and following best practices such as creating strong and unique passwords, using a password manager, and avoiding common mistakes like reusing passwords or using personal information, you can help protect your online accounts from unauthorized access. Remember, it's always better to be safe than sorry regarding online security.