Your Password and Safer Internet Experience
The internet has provided convenience and means to perform tasks easily, requiring little or no effort at all. Now you can pay bills or purchase items without having to leave home. Most banking institutions offer online banking and a number of online stores are now available, offering a wide selection of products to choose from. So, how can you avail of such convenience? All you need to do is simply sign up for an account which is often free.
But using the internet also has its own set of disadvantages. With its popularity comes security threats especially when it comes to personal and financial information. Online users are strongly encouraged to keep an observant eye and only visit websites that are secured. An easy way to protect yourself from online scam and fraud is by using a strong password that hackers will not be able to easily figure out. While some people may think that passwords are such a hassle because of the need to constantly remember it every time you sign in, the truth is that it can save you from a big problem of getting your account and identity compromised.
Victims of online hacking often make this one crucial mistake: having a password that is easy to crack and remember. Using your personal information such as birth dates or home address may provide you with an easier code to remember but the problem is, anyone who knows you or able to access your personal file can easily figure out your password using this information.
Weak passwords include:
=> Words which can be found in a dictionary (English or foreign) or such words written backwards - password breaking programs don't mind reading backwards!
=> Names of family, pets, friends, co-workers, fantasy characters, birthdays and other personal information such as addresses and phone numbers
=> Word or number patterns like aaabbb, qwert, zyxwvuts, 123321 etc
=> Any of the above precluded or followed by a digit (e.g. secret1, 1 secret)
So how can you come up with a strong password for a safer browsing experience? Below are some easy steps that can help you get started:
1. Use special characters. The combination of letters, numbers and special characters is a great way to form a strong password. The special characters are the set of symbols found above the number keys. However, some websites don't allow the use of such characters, so make sure to read the guidelines first.
2. Come up with a case sensitive password. Try using both small and capital letters on your password so that hackers will not be able to easily figure it out.
3. The number of characters is also important. Most websites will ask you to provide a password that is at least 6-12 characters long. Come up with one that has at least eight characters, which is relatively a good length to remember.
Things to avoid:
=> Don't reuse passwords for multiple important accounts, such as Gmail and online banking.
=> Don't use a password that is listed as an example of how to pick a good password.
=> Don't use a password that contains personal information (name, birth date, etc.)
=> Don't use words or acronyms that can be found in a dictionary.
=> Don't use keyboard patterns (asdf) or sequential numbers (1234).
=> Don't make your password all numbers, uppercase letters or lowercase letters.
=> Don't use repeating characters (aa11).
Never ever share your password to anyone. Remember that as an internet user you also have the responsibility to ensure that your information is secured and protected.