Creating strong passwords
Just like in the physical world around us, we should all be aware of our surroundings online. Social engineering attacks, phishing, phone scams, and many other nefarious activities are increasingly sophisticated and common, so being a skeptical consumer of information is generally a good rule of thumb.
One helpful habit that everyone can adopt is use of strong passwords – or, even better, multi-factor authentication that is phishing-resistant, where possible .
Passwords can be inconvenient, but they’re important if you want to keep your information safe. Protecting your personal information starts with taking security precautions and thinking about the consequences of your actions online, then you can enjoy the Internet with greater peace of mind.
Here are some simple ways to secure your accounts through better password practices:
Make Your Password a Sentence
A strong password is a sentence that is at least 12 characters long. Focus on positive sentences or phrases that you like to think about and are easy to remember (for example, “I love puppies and kitties”). On most sites, you can use special characters, and some allow spaces, so get creative – remember, length is the key!
Unique Account, Unique Password
Having separate passwords for every account helps to thwart cybercriminals. At a minimum, separate your work and personal accounts and make sure that your critical accounts have the strongest passwords.
Keep Your Password Safe
Everyone can forget a password. Keep passwords stored in a safe, secure place away from your computer, like a password manager. There are many tools and apps available, and Microsoft offers one for personal use – OneDrive Personal Vault.
Lock Down Your Login
Fortify your online accounts by enabling the strongest authentication tools available, such as biometrics, security keys or a unique one-time code through an app on your mobile device. Your usernames and passwords are not enough to protect key accounts like email, banking, and social media.
Want to find out how secure your password is? Visit the How Secure is My Password? webpage to find out!
For additional information on creating strong – and long – passwords click on the video below.
