Use Strong Passwords
Every October, we recognize Cybersecurity Awareness Month. The purpose of this annual event is to help remind everyone to protect themselves online as technology and digital threats evolve.
This week we will discuss Using Strong Passwords.
Did you know the most common password is “password”? Followed by “123456”? Using your child’s name with their birthday isn’t much better.
Picking a password that is easy is like locking your door but hanging the key on the doorknob. Anyone can get in.
Here are some tips for creating a stronger password. Make sure it’s:
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LONG – at least 15 characters,
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UNIQUE – never used anywhere else,
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RANDOMLY GENERATED – usually by a computer or password manager. They’re better than humans at being random.
Make sure you’re not recycling the same password across all your apps and websites.
Don’t use passwords from home at work and vice versa!!
Below is a chart of how quickly your password can be hacked into with a computer guessing your password:
The chart shows that the longer and more complex your password is, the stronger your password will be.
You can use a password manager to store all your passwords. That way you don’t have to remember them all! If you go this route, make sure your master password is strong and memorable, and secure your password manager account with MFA!