As we celebrate World Password Day this Thursday, please tell us that LAST World Password Day was not the last time you changed your password… We all know that as we continue to get more connected online—shopping, banking, networking, gaming, and even dating—it’s more critical than ever that we choose strong passwords and update them frequently.

 

Some of these tips should be old hat by now, but they’re still the best way to ensure your data is protected and your identity remains your own:

 

1. Choose unique and complex passwords. Passwords that point to your favorite <insert team/child/place> are a gift to hackers so settle on a unique, impossible to guess password with a good mix of upper- and lower-case letters, numbers, and symbols.
2. Don’t let your fingers do the walking. A complex password is no good if you use keys that are consecutive on a keyboard (e.g., QWERTY) or form a pattern on your number pad (e.g., 741852).
3. Use different passwords for each account. It’s so tempting to stick with one password for every account, but remember: if a hacker cracks one password, he has access to ALL your accounts…
4. Double your protection. For your very sensitive accounts (think banking or anything with personal data), set up two-factor authentication. This way, even if someone manages to guess your password, there’s one more line of defense.
5. Change passwords regularly. Set a reminder on your phone to change your passwords every few months to stay one step ahead of the hackers.

 

As always, if you’re struggling to stay on top of your passwords (or think of tough-to-beat ones), you can always use a password manager like Password Genie for help. They not only help you generate passwords but also manage your access and make two-step authentication easy!