Published on April 19th, 2019 | by Sunit Nandi

5 Ways to Keep Your Passwords Safe

Cybercriminal activities have increased considerably in recent years. Both businesses and regular digital users are subjected to threats and hackers attempting to retrieve passwords for their own personal gain. Cybercriminals have developed advanced methods to access passwords and personal information, which can have substantial monetary value. Keeping your data protected means you will need to start being more careful with password security practices. Here are some extra tips and tricks that can strengthen your security online, these measures will help you protect your passwords from anyone who might want to use them for malicious purposes.

Unique generated passwords and no duplicates

When it comes to password security, we cannot stress enough how important it is to use a unique password for each website where you create an account. Most Internet users know that, in theory, this is the best thing to do, but sometimes it’s too tempting to type in the same password instead of coming up with a new one. This habit is very dangerous because in the eventuality of having one of your accounts compromised, the rest will also follow, so you should generate unique passwords for each important site or account.

There are several useful tips you can follow to create a strong password:

Your password should have at least 7 characters
Include uppercase and lowercase letters
Use combinations of letters, numbers, and special symbols

The more complex the password, the more difficult it will be for a hacker to crack it. Another solution that corporations in particular resort to is replacing standard passwords with passphrases. During a brute force attack, phrases will be more difficult to guess and you will be ensuring proper protection without having to remember a complicated password that incorporates different numbers, upper and lower case letters and symbols.

Multi-factor authentication

Deploying multi-factor authentication is another solution you should consider. A second layer of safety can be added once you start using this method. 2FA or MFA give you the opportunity to prove that you are the one accessing the account by having to enter a second code and not just the password alone. Apps have been created that allow you to get a one-time generated code, also frequently referred to as a token, which is valid for a limited period of time. Even if a cybercriminal will be able to crack your initial password, guessing an OTP before it expires is an improbable case. Multi-factor authentication codes are usually sent directly to your mobile. And if anyone tries to break in one of your accounts, you will be immediately alerted.

Password managers

Security experts advise online users to work with password managers. This type of tool will keep your entire login information safe, functioning as an encrypted vault for important personal data. Instead of keeping all of your login details written on a piece of paper that you can easily lose or in a plaintext file that can be stolen, or having to memorize multiple unique combinations, you can store your passwords safely and conveniently through a password manager. These are being used especially by companies dealing with a large volume of login credentials. A password manager can also randomize passwords for you and save them to your account directly, making it highly improbable for hackers to tackle them.

Change passwords regularly

One last tip would be to make a habit out of changing your passwords regularly. Staying ahead of hackers means you should not only use unpredictable passwords generating patterns, but also replace them with new ones at least once every three months. Cybercriminals run scripts and have access to extensive lists of username-password combinations, so unlocking a combination that has been in use for a long time will be much easier for them. You should always consider the scenario of having your password leaked, and simply set a schedule for replacements. Criminals usually start hacking into accounts a few months after the datable is breached, and if your online-stored passwords have been changed, full protection will be ensured.

Implement the right cybersecurity tools

Cybersecurity can reach optimal levels as long as you make use of advanced threat detection software. Tools have been designed using AI to ensure data security and they can reduce your concerns in the password safety department. Existing technologies provide an effective approach on malicious activity detection, and the tools that incorporate such features can be a great asset for organizations most of all. Business data is usually spread throughout multiple physical and virtual environments, which means keeping your business passwords entirely secured isn’t that easy. However, with the systems that have been brought into the market, you can obtain an immediate boost in cyber security and lower your odds of falling victim to a cyber attack. You should always research the best software products on the market that come with threat detection features and if any malicious activity occurs, you will be immediately alerted. Regardless of threat types and their extent, you will be notified of unusual behavior, and data protection will be maintained in check – even the most subtle attempts can be detected by an advanced system in a timely manner.

These are the factors that you should keep in mind if you wish to keep your passwords safe and reduce the likelihood of dealing with a cyber attack anytime in the near future. Considering the wide variety of unpleasant scenarios that could arise if a hacker breaks into certain accounts, whether personal or business-related, you should prioritize the right means of precaution, and the pointers highlighted above could work better than expected. Avoiding a cyber threat doesn’t have to be that complicated, as long as you know the recommended course of action, so give these ideas enough of your attention and use them to your advantage – passwords safety will be optimized efficiently through these techniques.

Tags: keep, password, safe, ways

About the Author

Sunit Nandi I'm the leader of Techno FAQ. Also an engineering college student with immense interest in science and technology. Other interests include literature, coin collecting, gardening and photography. Always wish to live life like there's no tomorrow.