With so much of our personal and professional lives conducted online, ensuring that our sensitive data remains secure is crucial. From shopping online to accessing medical records and completing job applications, we’re putting more of our lives online than we likely realize.
Your password is your first line of defense in stopping attacks and suspicious activities. A strong password ensures your sensitive information remains secure from vulnerabilities like cyber threats and data breaches. Whether you’re an online aficionado or a casual browser, understanding the importance of password protection is critical in safely navigating the digital landscape.
Why Do I Need a Strong Password?
With countless aspects of our day-to-day lives occurring online, ensuring you stay safe in cyberspace and protecting your data is critical. Your password is the foundational building block to your overall online security.
We all like to think that cyberattacks can never happen to us, but our information is still out there, no matter how cautious we are. It’s up to you to decide how easily accessible your information is to fraudsters. The best way to protect yourself online is by using strong and secure passwords for every account you access and safeguarding them effectively.
Tips for Creating a Strong Password
Fortunately, making your passwords tougher to crack is far easier than you may think. Here are some helpful guidelines to help you build passwords that meet security requirements:
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Create Long Passwords:
When it comes to creating a secure password, the longer, the better. The more characters a password has, the more difficult it is for scammers and malware to crack. Although length requirements vary by account and website, work to create a password of at least 12 characters or more.
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Include Special Characters:
In addition to having a higher number of characters, using a variety of characters also makes it more difficult to solve. A strong password should always include a mix of the following:
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Uppercase Letters
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Lowercase Letters
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Numbers
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Special Characters (e.g., ! $ & * ~ @ %)
Including special characters in your password makes it more secure against scammers. The more special characters and numbers you include throughout your password (not just at the beginning and end), the more complex and less easily compromised your password will be.
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Avoid Personal Information:
Sure, the easiest information to remember is personal details about yourself, your family, or your pets. That’s why these details are also the most commonly used when creating passwords. However, this information is also easy to find online.
Bad actors look for these clues by following your digital breadcrumbs (social media accounts, public records, etc.). From there, it’s a simple guessing game to gain access to your accounts. Make sure your passwords don’t include any of the following details about you or loved ones:
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Names or Common Nicknames
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Pet Names
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Phone Numbers
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Addresses
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Special Dates (no birthdays or anniversaries!)
• Avoid Dictionary Words:
Any word that could be found in the dictionary can also be found by fraudsters (or malware) attempting to crack your credentials. A good rule of thumb when crafting an uncrackable password is to avoid long strings of consecutive letters. That’s why including special characters is crucial. You can create a unique password – or even better, a passphrase – and swap out letters or “words” in the code or phrase with numbers and symbols for increased security.
Examples of Passwords
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Weak Passwords:
Here are some examples of passwords that are considered weak according to security standards. If your passwords resemble any of these, it’s time for an update!
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password, Password123, or 123456: These are the first guesses anyone will make when trying to access your account.
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ilovecats or FidoIsCute: Avoid using pet names or other generic details that anyone can relate to or find easily.
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QWERTY or 1QAZ2WSX: Avoid using strings of consecutive keyboard characters or those in neighboring formation.
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Strong Passwords:
Below are examples of password upgrades that provide much greater security for protecting your data. Try to use passwords that mimic these strong examples.
Weak: fidoiscute
Strong: *F!d0i5Cut3*
Weak: WeAreTheChampions
Strong: ~W3@r3+h3Ch@mp10n$
Weak: ILoveTheCubs
Strong: <Ch1cag0Cub$>
Bonus Tips to Boost Security
Unfortunately, crafting a unique password is not enough to keep bad actors at bay. It’s crucial to have a comprehensive and effective approach to cybersecurity. Take your password protection even further by implementing these simple steps to keep your accounts secure against unauthorized access.
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Enable Multi-Factor Authentication:
A simple step to add an extra layer of protection to your passwords is enabling multi-factor authentication (or MFA) wherever possible. Most accounts for websites and apps allow you to enable MFA, and some even require it.
MFA uses a variety of “factors” or methods to confirm your identity before allowing access to your account. These factors may include entering a Personal Identification Number (PIN) or using biometric data like fingerprints and facial recognition.
If you’ve ever attempted to log in to an account and received a code via your text or email that you must enter before proceeding, that’s MFA in action. Using multiple verification methods makes it much more difficult for hackers to access your account.
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Never Write Down Passwords:
The easiest way to keep your credentials safe and prevent them from falling into the wrong hands is by ensuring you never write your passwords down anywhere. Put down the pen and pad of sticky notes and opt for modern solutions. Consider a secure password manager application or use an encrypted spreadsheet to keep track of your credentials.
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Use a Password Generator:
You're certainly not alone if you have trouble developing enough different ideas for strong and secure passwords. That’s why security-minded innovators developed password generators, free online tools that assist you by generating secure passwords in a matter of seconds.
Most password generators have customizable capabilities, letting you select if you want your password to include capital letters, numbers, and symbols, and select the desired length. This customization allows you to ensure you comply with the specific password requirements of any website.
For example, if a particular website doesn’t allow symbols within user passwords, you can uncheck the box to include special characters, and the generator will create a password that complies with your request.
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Use a Password Manager:
Rather than manually remembering multiple passwords and which accounts they go with, you can use a password manager to help you keep track of your credentials. Password managers are programs that save and store your login details and can automatically fill them in when you log in to a website or app.
Some web browsers or operating systems offer built-in password managers for free, plus there are paid solutions for more robust offerings that work across various platforms and devices. Many password managers also generate secure and unique passwords for you.
We’re Here to Help!
Securing your accounts with strong and unique passwords is one of the simplest yet most effective steps you can take to protect your personal information online. By using these guidelines for creating strong passwords, you can level up your cybersecurity and ensure your accounts are resilient against unauthorized access.
If you want to learn more about how the credit union protects your data or need assistance improving your account security, we’re happy to help. Please stop by the Credit Union or call 410-687-5240 to speak with a team member today.