As the world is going ahead with digitalization, keeping data safe from hackers and prying eyes is also becoming a tedious task. So, this article aims to educate consumers and businesses around the world to protect themselves against the growing number of data breaches with a secure password(pwd).
1) First never use a combination of words as password that are easy to guess like Iloveyou and 123456 and such.
2) Never use the same password across multiple accounts, as a single account spill can lead to the leak of a lot of personal information
3) Better to use a virtual keyboard to avoid recognizable keyword patterns or short pwds.
4) Always use a password that is a combination of alphanumeric characters topped with special characters.
5) Keep the password length, say 15-18 characters or more
6) Online users can also explore password-less options such as biometrics or a 2FA where a code is sent to the Email or SMS that only the owner of the account can access.
7) Never share personal details like DOBs, phone numbers, car registration numbers, or parents/siblings or offspring’s name online.
8) Watchout for malicious links embedded in emails as they can prove as a phishing trap
9) Download only those attachments that are safe
10) Never punch in your details into a URL that is not HTTPs and is incorrect in spelling
11) Password manager can help save from online embarrassment to a major extent
According to a BitWarden password strength generator study it could take hackers centuries to crack a 16-character password. And a ten- or 8-character password can take only hours or a few days to crack. And those using passwords that are in just 5-8 character are easy to crack and take just seconds or minutes for cyber crooks to crack.
