This year, World Password Day falls on Thursday 2nd May. The purpose of the day is to promote better password habits. These days everything needs a password, from unlocking our phones and accessing our emails to registering for streaming services and logging into work computers. Passwords are the gatekeepers to our life online.
There was a time when people would use a universal password that they would use for all their accounts. However, one password for multiple accounts was much easier to remember but left people vulnerable to online fraud. Using the same password for multiple accounts means cyber-criminals can access all your accounts by cracking just one password! The consequences of this are that hackers have access to your whole digital presence, and it opens you up to an array of cyber crimes such as identity theft, fraud, financial loss, and extortion, to name but a few.
However, new password protocols encourage users to create passwords that include a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols. Data is the currency of the modern world, so it’s important to protect it. The best way to do this is to have a different password for each account.
Best practice
The best way to make your password difficult to hack is by using a sequence of three random words that can be remembered.
For example, BlueGreenAsckey
You can make it even stronger by including special characters and numbers.
For example, BlueGreenAsckey#1
It is encouraged, where possible, to activate 2-factor authentication (2FA). This provides you with an extra level of online protection and significantly reduces the risk of being hacked. Even if a cyber-criminal works out your password, they will not be able to access your account as they will also need the 2FA Code.
For more advice on how to keep yourself online, check out the following blog Advice on how to stay secure online from the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre.
