An Updated 2021 Guide for Password Security

300 billion passwords. That’s roughly how many accounts there are on the internet. With 4.66 billion people actively using the internet, it means every person has 20 accounts online on average. Still, internet users are lax with password security.

When you leave your home, you don’t leave the door unlocked. That’s the same way you should treat your online accounts. Your password is the key to revealing sensitive information about you.

The online accounts you possess don’t just give you access to your secret chats and messages. They also represent the key to your finances. If you have your conversations with online friends hacked, it could also ruin your social status. 

Technically, data hijackers use underhanded methods to get you to reveal your passwords. However, with proper cybersecurity, you’d be able to protect your data from getting hacked.


Steps to Improving Password Cybersecurity

  • Using More Secure Passwords

Your password has to be vital to prevent successful hacking attacks. First, you have to stop using relatives’ or pets’ names as passcodes. A person who’s not even close to you can decode that, let alone a seasoned password hijacker. 

Second, you’ll have to make your password at least 12 characters long. Third, make it creative. It’d be better if the passcode doesn’t exist in your language’s vocabulary. You could even use a passphrase which is a long string of words, to help you remember the passcode better.

  • Subscribe to a Password Management Service

Using password management services provides you with lots of benefits. First, your password gets auto-filled. Second, you receive a prompt if your password’s security level is weak. Third, complex passwords could be created and stored for you.

An individual who uses a password manager is likely someone who wants to expedite creating passwords. With password management service, all you need is the password to your account to access all other passwords.

  • Secure Devices

Protecting your passwords on the internet level is not enough. If your device has low security and gets stolen, your information could be exposed. 

For your computer, set up a password for your User Account. To further protect the device, get an alternative internet browser if another person uses your laptop frequently. You could also use BitLocker or FileVault to encrypt your Windows laptop/Mac.

For your smartphone, activate biometric locks. You could consider locking certain apps like your browsing and banking applications too. This way, even if you give someone your phone, the person would not access any of your sensitive data.


Final Thoughts

A password is the first line of defense between your data and hackers. Nevertheless, if your barrier is weak, your protection will easily get penetrated. 

It would be best if you practice good password cybersecurity to prevent hijackers from stealing your data. You can do this by creating a secure passcode, using biometric locks on your device, and getting a password manager.

Alternatively, you can use VPN to encrypt the password between your device and server to protect you valuable data.

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