Strong passwords using upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and characters are one of the best ways to defend your personal online data.
Strong Password = Strong Cybersecurity
Passwords should always be long, complicated and unique no matter what account you use. It was previously considered best practice to change your password every 90 days, but this has since been changed as it was found users were implementing unsafe practices. For example, changing the 1 to a 2 at the end of the password or reusing a password from a different account.
Creating a strong password can be difficult, but we have an easy formula for you to follow! One of the best ways to create a strong password from scratch is to sequence elements from five or six completely unrelated pieces of information. For instance, try writing down the following:
- The name of the street you grew up on.
- The name of your first pet.
- Your favourite movie, musician, or artist.
- The name of your immediate supervisor.
- An object you keep on your work desk.
You might write down a sequence like this:
“Polding Street. Scruffy. Guardians of the Galaxy. Sheila Johnson. Solar-powered Dancing Groot.”
Now all you have to do is take two letters from each of those names: “PoScGuShGr”. Replace every third letter with a number or special character: “Po$cGüSh6r”
If you’re still struggling to create something, we would highly recommend using the LastPass Password Generator, with customisable settings depending on the password conditions.
Creating a password that is complex enough to keep your data safe while remaining simple enough to remember can be difficult. Using a password manager like LastPass can assist with creating passwords and safely storing them.
What is a Password Manager?
A password manager is a piece of software that allows users to store, generate, and manage their passwords for local applications and online services. These are stored in encrypted databases, so you can trust that your passwords will be secure with the right program.
Most people have at least more than 5-10 logins that require passwords. Repeating similar passwords and reusing the same password across multiple accounts is not a good cybersecurity practice. With a manager, you can take the stress out of trying to remember multiple passwords and keep your data safe by not repeating them.
Follow along the SMB Solutions Cloud Services blog page as we continue highlighting the focus topics of this year’s Cybersecurity Awareness Month.