Passwords. Almost every single person has one, or at least should-- but do you ever really think beyond the common phrase, favorite color or animal that is your password? If not, this article is precisely for you.
Of course, we all love sharing pictures of our dinner meals, giving updates on family members, commenting on sports events, or even online shopping for that matter. However, think of the applications or websites you are using to do all of this.
They all share a single, common trait: You have an account, and attached to an account is, of course, a password. This password allows us (and only us, at least in theory) to access our profiles and accounts across websites, applications, etc.. So what exactly is the signature purpose of these little codes that act as a digital set of keys for our many online accounts?
Passwords are [increasingly] becoming the most significant pieces of information we have on us. More important than the ledger balance in our banking account; more important than our own physical addresses. Why?
Think of a password as a universal key which allows anyone to go anywhere and access anything. Whoever wields such a tool can surely do both good and evil with it. With that being said, a password is a tool which protects someone from losing invaluable and personal information, by ensuring a user is who they say they are.
Instances where passwords can protect us can include a variety of events ranging from simply preventing accidental logins due to typos or errors, to actual cyber attacks where our credentials are breached and stolen by an unknown hacker. Passwords, dependent on complexity and length, are precisely what prevents these would-be digital assailants (who would otherwise do us virtual harm) from achieving their ultimate goal of stealing priceless information.
So how do you make a complex password that prevents my information from being stolen? Here are some tips:
1. Having a password that is your last name, favorite color or food, or even your favorite movie phrase is NOT a good idea, whatsoever.
Anyone who may remotely know anything about you (friends, family, even co-workers) will have enough knowledge of your personality to guess your password, if it is based on something such as listed above. Imagine the ease of password-guessing your friend's account while they are using their favorite color as their password! It would almost be too easy!
2. In the realm of passwords, "easy to remember" is not the same as "safe and secure."
Say your favorite oceanic creature is a jellyfish. It's only fitting that you make your password "jellyfish", right? Wrong. A sample password that may be more complex than "jellyfish" would be something along the lines of: "j3lly22f!$h". What's with the numbers and symbols? Isn't that confusing? That's the exact reason why.
People, or otherwise would-be hackers, will not be able to guess that your password is "jellyfish" without firstly knowing that it is your favorite animal, let alone how to spell it in such a way as with numbers and symbols. Although it may appear difficult to remember at first, this will greatly reduce the likelihood of being hacked or having your information breached.
3. Write your passwords down-- but remember where you left it!
The easiest way to remember something is by simply writing it down in a notebook, on a scrap piece of paper, or on a sticky note. Not only does this allow you to have a physical copy whenever your lock yourself out of your account, it serves as an excellent reminder for writing down anything of decent importance.
However, make sure you stow this invaluable piece of paper where your roommate-- or anyone else for that matter-- cannot find it except you! The most recommendable place to put it would be under a desk, in a backpack, or maybe even in your dresser at home.
Now, will these steps make your login credentials as secure as the CIA's or FBI's? Maybe! Of course, no password is fool-proof, as there are many pieces of software and hardware that allow such cybercrime to occur without our own knowledge.
However, by following those steps you are indefinitely more secure and virtually safer than previously before! Be sure to pass these helpful tips on to friends, family, even colleagues!
