The Do’s & Don’ts of Creating a More Secure Password

There is not always a lot of control users have when it comes to data breaches, but one small line of defense you can take is the beloved, or more often than not dreaded, password. We all know we need them and we should be taking a creative, complex approach to them, but the truth is most people don’t spend too much time thinking about what passwords they are assigning to their accounts, they simply press “save,” and then they practically forget about them until the next time they need them. In fact, for the sixth year in a row, “password” joins “123456” as the two most commonly used passwords according to an annual study by SplashData.

Despite today’s increase in daily cyberattacks and data breaches, we as users are still taking a lazy, reckless approach to password security. Below are some helpful do’s and don’ts tips to help you master the art of creating unique and stronger passwords.

Do:

• Change your passwords every couple of months
• Include letters, numbers, special characters, and symbols in your passwords
• Make your passwords at least eight characters long – the more the better
• Always enable two-step authentication when it is available
• Create different passwords and usernames for every account
• Use a mix of uppercase and lowercase characters
• Create a password code such as
  • A phrase/song line: “Take me out to the ballgame” and use the first letter of each word (TmottB)
  • Substitute certain letters for numbers. For example, make a-1, e-2, i-3, o-4, u-5
  • Add the first and last letter of the name of the website you are using to the beginning and end of the password you created

Don’t:

• Use the same password for all your accounts. It is important you create separate passwords for each account in case an account is breached. Then only one of your accounts is exposed to risk.
• Never click “remember me” when logging into your account. By doing so, it gives the site or application a cookie that is easily open to misappropriation.
• Never use sensitive information such as your credit card number, personal ID number, or social security number
• Never use information that you post on social media or that can be found easily publicly such as your birthday, house address, telephone number, pet’s name, spouse’s name, etc.
• Don’t store a list of your passwords on your computer, phone or even on a paper list that can be seen in plain sight
• Never create a password that is all numbers or letters – mix it up
• Don’t share your password with anyone
• Never use a number, alphabet or keyboard sequence
• Don’t use sample or temporary passwords given to you by a site – always create a personal one