What Defines a Secure Password?

When signing up on a website, you face an unavoidable situation. Whether you set a strong password or a weak one. If you set a strong password, chances are that you will forget after some time. If you set a weak password, you can remember it easily. So, how to decide which option to choose?

This post discusses easy-to-follow guidelines on practicing good passwords without compromising security. Many users have tested these guidelines and we recommend you to do the same.

What is a good password?

Before setting up a good password, you should know about its anatomy. Follow these tips to create a robust password that you will remember always.

1. Never use short passwords

Try to avoid passwords that contain less than 10 characters. Always create a strong password containing a minimum of 10 characters. If your password has more characters, it takes more time for the hackers to find it.

2. Make the password complex

Create a strong password that consists of lower and upper case letters. Additionally, the password should contain special characters and numbers. The more you use these combinations, the better your password will be.

3. Consider using password managers

Setting up long passwords sometimes creates a headache when it comes to remembering them. Especially, if you have them for multiple services or websites. In that case, you can use a strong password manager application. They organize your login details so that you find them easily when needed.

4. Use mnemonics

If you find difficulty using password managers, try creating phrases that you can remember easily. However, ensure that the phrase relates to the service or website you will use. For example, you want to create a password to log in to a VPN provider. So, you may think of creating a sentence like: “I use VPN to protect my data and avoid cybercrime.” The mnemonic will be “IuV2pmd&ac”. This password contains different characters, easy to remember, and is a bit long.

5. Try using passphrases

Protecting your account with a strong password using six or seven random dictionary words can be a good idea. Keep in mind that randomness is an important element here. An average human mind cannot decipher random words together. Consider visiting a website where you can learn how to create a complex yet memorable password for your account.

6. Opt for a reliable password generator

A random password generator can help you create passwords without using your head. Password generators can create strong and unique passwords. They help improve password strength. These tools can generate passwords even with over 50 characters. All you need to do is copy the password and keep it in your password manager software.

Following the tips mentioned above would benefit you in terms of increasing password strength. A strong password is a necessity especially if your activities involve online banking or other financial services.

How to avoid weak passwords:

So, how do you know whether your password is strong or not? The following are the things that you should not include when setting up passwords.

• The word ‘name’ of the username
• Your name or names of pets, family members, and friends
• Do not use personal information, even your family. Anyone can find general information such as birth date, phone number, street name, etc.
• Avoid using a sequence. For example, ‘123456’, ‘qwerty’, ‘13579’, etc.
• A combination of words or dictionary words like sunflower, bookworm, cupcake, etc.
• Substitutions like ‘b00kw0rm’
• Avoid reverse order of anything mentioned above
• Blank password

Useful tip: Ensure that your password contains a minimum of 8 characters. The length is what defines a secure password. If the password is long and complex, no one can find it. Not even sophisticated software that hackers use.

Having a secure password: Do’s and don’ts

The first step towards improved security is to create strong passwords. However, managing the passwords later is more important. Although people are aware of things when setting passwords, they ignore a few. Below are important things to keep in mind. Hopefully, they will help you keep your information secure and private.

1. Create unique passwords always

Whenever you change passwords for your accounts, make sure that they are not the same as you used before. In short, it is unwise to repeat your previous passwords. Additionally, you should never use the same passwords for different accounts. It seems easy to remember the password to be used on different websites. But imagine if an intruder knows the password, all your accounts would be compromised.

2. It is good to change passwords at certain intervals

Even if your password strength is good, hackers might crack it after some time. With excellent processing power, certain hacking tools might crack your password. Hence, you should change passwords at regular intervals. It is good to change passwords once every six months.

3. Never share passwords

Sharing your password with anyone, even your loved ones, might be tricky. Remember not to send your password as a part of the text when sending an email. Sometimes, hackers might send you an email asking for your username and password. They pretend to be customer support executives and try to fool you. Legitimate websites and organizations will never use an email to know your username and password.

4. You doubt someone knows your password

This is another tricky situation that nobody wants to experience. A compromised password can create a lot of inconvenience. Therefore, if you have doubts about someone knowing your password, change it as fast as possible. Even if you suspect that someone knows your username, change the password right away. Do not wait for something to happen. Instead, act fast.

5. Avoid using stored password

Every browser has the option to remember your password. However, never use them. Even if you want to use the option for convenience, set up a master password first.

6. Do not use your password on someone else’s device

Never type your password on someone else’s device, especially when visiting business or banking accounts. Hackers can track your keystrokes and know what you are typing.