Are you still using a simple password?
Easy solutions for creating stronger passwords.
We have all heard about the importance of using stronger passwords. The thought of having to create stronger passwords that we can remember and that are unique at the same time can be daunting! We are careful with things like our driver’s license and social security card. But passwords? Not so much. What are some of the reasons that have kept us from changing our ways?
We think…
- It’ll take too much time to learn a new password.
- It’ll be too complicated for me to even remember.
- What I’m using will probably be okay… right?
Stronger passwords are not enough, to be truly safe with our logins we also need a UNIQUE password for EACH website.
Yes, I know… That sounds impossible. But it’s not, it’s actually quite easy! (I’ll get to that in a little bit) First let me explain WHY we need to have a unique password for every website, then I will tell you how easy it is to achieve that. So let’s say you have an account with three different websites. I know, you have many more than that but let’s run with just three to keep things simple. So you have an Facebook account, a PayPal account and an obscure account that you set up simply to purchase this extremely random gift for your sister and you’re probably never going to login to that website again. Since you can’t even remember the url, let’s just call it SomeRandomGift.biz. Now since you’re using the same password on all 3 websites (albeit a very strong password, for which I’m very proud of you!) it is the same password. Obviously PayPal and Facebook are both the Fort Knox of the internet (from a “chances of being hacked” standpoint). However, SomeRandomGift.biz is more akin to being the laundromat down the street with not only no locked doors but even the door itself almost never gets shut! So along comes Mr. Hacker and hops right in to SomeRandomGift.biz because they don’t have any kind of security set up on their website tragically resulting all of their customers information (including YOUR username and password) have been stolen. Not only stolen but posted on the dark web for Mr. Hacker’s pals to use as well. So now Mr. Hacker and all his friends can waltz right into your PayPal account and your Facebook account and have their way with your information, your money and purchasing information on basically everything you’ve ever purchased.
If you would have used a unique password for every website, the only website they would have access to would be the laundromat and Fort Knox would still be nice and secure.
Here are 4 simple solutions to increase your password security!
- Focus on length. Use at least 12 characters. More characters equal a stronger password! Use a personalized sentence instead of just a word or two.
- Use numbers & symbols. Mix letters with numbers and symbols in your sentence. Examples: $ for an S or zero for the letter O.
- Use different passwords for different accounts. Make your password sentence unique by adding the first letter or two of the website as a capital in the center of your sentence. An example for the website called Kelly’s Pet Supplies using the sentence, “Dogs are my favorite!” would be: D0g$are-K-myfav0rite!
- Use two-factor authentication. This means that you can select two ways to secure your account. Most often it is your password plus entering a code that has been sent to your phone or email.
ModernWebStudios.com cares about your safety. If you need a secure website or more information on how to stay safe on the web, please visit our website. Use these simple tips to strengthen your passwords and increase your security. Choose a sentence that will brighten your day or a reminder of a goal you would like to accomplish! What a wonderful way to remind yourself to stay positive, remember what is important, and keep your personal information safe!
This little nugget of “teknowledgy” is just one of MANY things we here at Modern Web Studios provide our customers with on a daily basis. Sign up for a new website and we can move your website to our servers and begin hosting and supporting you and your business today!
