How Secure is your Password?
Do you ever think, “How safe is my password?” Well you should!
Some hackers use software that can generate as many as 8 million password guesses a second so to help deter them you should make yours more complex. Here are some suggestions to help you achieve better online security.
· Use more than one!
Most people use many accounts online from social media to shopping and its good practice to use a different password for each site. This crucial piece of advice ensures that if one site is hacked then the security of all your others is not compromised.
· Be Cyber Savvy!
Don’t use easy to guess passwords and a phrase is better than an alpha numeric one. Complexity is good, but passphrase length is even better. For example, instead of using ‘aw3s0me’ you could use @w3s0me#Hotd0gs. Although it would be simple just to use the name of your cat and your home phone number these are the first things people will guess if they know you. Therefore, its best to choose one that’s random and if possible, with numbers, lower and uppercase letters as well as special characters. The table below shows how the strength of password greatly affects the estimated time it takes to crack.
· Remember!
It’s all very well but keeping track of numerous login details can be a challenge if you have a lot of online accounts and especially if you use complex passwords. However, don’t be tempted to stick your password on your computer monitor or somewhere that is easily accessible. Consider using a Password Manager and there are a number of these available. Alternatively, you could store them in a separate password protected file on your own computer using Microsoft Word or Mac Pages, but you wouldn’t need to forget the password that gives you access to it. If you wish to keep a copy somewhere convenient then it’s advisable to write it in coded format, possibly using an alphabet grid to ‘encrypt’.
· Be Unique
It’s advisable to use a unique email address for password recovery. If you think your security has been compromised, then it’s a better option for when you want to reset your login details. Some sites ask for security question prompts to further protect you. If this is necessary, then your answer should be a memorable cryptic phrase if possible. For example, if they ask for your cat’s name and it is ‘George’ then your answer could be changed to ‘Gorgeous George’.
Finally, for those who run a business, online protection is vital since a breach of security may carry risk for your clients as well as you personally. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has given some simple security tips as well as links to advice on other websites that should be helpful for your organisation. They can be accessed via the link below:
