July 27, 2017
Kaeli Warde-Sandoval
In the world of business technology there are a lot of misconceptions about user passwords. Most of the time passwords are utilized to protect some sort of personal or business data. Why not make it a strong one?
What can hackers get off your computer?
It’s commonly thought that hackers primarily attack large companies or corporations, which happens, but they can just as easily target your personal computer. Hackers can access all of your local files, photos, tax records, personal data, delete programs. Skilled hackers can gain access to your credit card numbers, bank account and even your social security number. With that information, your identity, money and privacy can be in serious jeopardy!
How can you protect yourself?
Amp up your password! Avoid using anything that someone can easily figure out about you, people can easily steal information about you via conversation, social engineering or public record. One good practice to strengthen your password is not using a password at all.
Use a Passphrase
Hackers aren’t likely to guess a word like “iwtraranaped” but a fan of the band KISS will be able to remember, “I want to rock and roll all night and party every day”. If your company requires symbols and/or numbers, substitute letters with special characters – “iW2r&rAn&ped”. If your company requires that you change you password often, you can move to the next line of the song. Below are some best and worst practices for your password creation, using the best practices will add another layer of security to your password.
A password/passphrase should:
- Use numbers and letters
- Use upper, lowercase and/or symbols
- Changed frequently
- Be at least 16 characters (the more the merrier)
A password/passphrase shouldn’t:
- The same password for multiple logins
- Be written down on your computer
- Be easily attainable through conversation or public records
- Be a dictionary word
- Be similar to your username
Even using all the best practices listed above, there’s still risk. Make sure your network is secure, especially if using Wifi and never share your password with anyone. The best way to protect yourself from a hacker is having a strong password that nobody knows but you. Following the tips from this post will only help strengthen your password and keep you more safe from online threats.
Tag(s):
Security