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“That’s amazing, I’ve got the same combination on my luggage!”
A password is one of the most integral parts of your online identity. A strong password is the first line of defense between you and identity theft. It is absolutely something you should put your all into coming up with. Unfortunately, a lot of people don’t.
According to technical surveys, people still make regular use of the most obvious passwords in the universe. This includes things like “password,” “123456,” and “abc123.” I know trying to remember a password can be a hassle, but you know what’s more of a hassle? Having your information stolen. So, with that in mind, here’s a few tips to creating better passwords.
- The longer the better. Longer passwords are harder to crack or guess. They’re even better if you can use a varied mix of letters, numbers, and special characters.
- Try not to recycle passwords. If you can, use a different password for every site you log into. Not only does this offer you increased security, but in the event of a data breach, only one of your passwords will be compromised.
- Don’t use obvious things. I totally get wanting to make your password something relevant to your hobbies, since that’s easier to remember. But don’t use something that someone can find out you like just by checking your Facebook. Try to get obtuse; instead of the name of your favorite cartoon, for example, use your favorite episode of your favorite cartoon. Or better yet, your least favorite episode of your favorite cartoon, along with its season number.
- Keep a master log. Most modern browsers keep logs of your passwords so you can log in quickly. If you don’t think that’s safe, though, keep a log of passwords on your hard drive, and then lock that log with a master password. Or, if you have a safe or something that locks, keep a notepad with a password log in there.
