Strong passwords provide protection for devices we use and accounts we create online. A secure passcode must possess qualities or characteristics that ensure the users’ data is safe and their online privacy is not compromised. With the concerning surge in data breaches over the years, using a strong passcode makes you less likely to be a victim of data theft.
Many people still don’t know what the basic qualities or characteristics of secure passcodes are. To ensure that your passcodes are secure, you need to check if they meet the following password requirements.
They must be long at least 12 characters: This first requirement is highly recommended by cybersecurity experts because the longer your password is, the more secure it is. It will take a longer time for a hacker to crack a long passcode than a short one. This is one of the most popular characteristics of a strong passcode.
They must contain a mixture of both uppercase and lowercase letters: The user should consider using characters such as upper-case and lower-case letters, numbers, special characters, symbols, etc. This is one of the requirements when you are aiming to make your passcode hack-proof.
A mixture of letters and numbers: To create a unique password, you must come up with a phrase or a word that is unpopular and contains both letters and numbers. Using common passwords like “Password” will place your private data at a high risk of being stolen.
Inclusion of at least one special character, e.g., ! @ # ? ]: When you consider the characteristics or qualities of strong passcodes, using special characters will secure your accounts from harm and you will have sole control over who gets to access your accounts.
By ensuring that you adhere to the requirements of creating a strong password, you stand a better chance of being multiple steps ahead of hackers who a trying to spy on you. Qualities or characteristics of a strong passcode include unpredictability, a high level of complexity, and optimized security.
Weak passwords lack most or all of the qualities or characteristics of a strong passcode, and we need to know them so we can avoid using them. Weak passwords have the following qualities or characteristics:
Any word that can be found in a dictionary, in any language (e.g., airplane or aeroplano). These are weak and increase the risks of data theft. Default passwords such as (P@ssw0rd1, user1, etc) are also weak. They are less secure, and they can easily be predicted. Default passwords are usually preconfigured for a device, and should this be something you encounter, you must change your password immediately. By using these default passcodes, you are disregarding all qualities of a strong password.
A dictionary word with some letters simply replaced by numbers (e.g., a1rplan3 or aer0plan0). This is also a bad password practice. Examples include (12345, aaaaa, 11111, etc).
A repeated character or a series of characters (e.g., AAAAA or 12345). This is not the best characteristic of a strong password. This approach can be easily hacked by algorithms and hackers.
A keyboard series of characters (e.g., qwerty or poiuy). This strategy can also be guessed by third parties. Bruteforce attacks often try to recognize these exact combinations to hack your account.
Personal information (e.g., birthdays, names of pets or friends, Social Security number, addresses). Do not use meaningful information that can easily be linked to you. Although significant details such as birthdays, pet names, hometowns, etc are easy to remember, they can easily be guessed by hackers.
The goal when creating a password is to make it extremely difficult for an unauthorized person to intercept your accounts by ensuring that it meets all the requirements of a strong passcode.
One of the strong password requirements includes password rotation. This refers to changing your passwords regularly for your devices and avoiding the practice of reusing your passcodes. Experts recommend that you change your password after 90 days or less.
Ensuring that your passcode meets the requirements and contains the necessary qualities of a strong and secure password is not as difficult as people think it is. There are many useful websites you can visit to learn more about password management.
Come up with a phrase or a word and replace letters with special characters or numbers to make the word or phrase more complex.
Create a secure password by using a word or phrase that contains mixed characters (uppercase and lowercase alphabets), special characters, and numbers.
Using a Multi-Factor Authentication method adds an extra layer of password security. Whenever you punch in your password to access your account, there will be an OPT sent to your email or an authenticator app prompting you to verify if you are the one trying to get access to your account.
A reliable Password Manager assists you in generating strong passwords, storing them securely, and effectively managing them. Most password managers have built-in password generators. These generators aid you in creating passcodes that meet all requirements for a strong password. To see how a password generator works, click https://password-generator.net/ to learn more.
Make sure that your password meets all the requirements of a strong password so that you may be protected as you continue to browse the internet. We all need to take time to learn about the importance of strong passcodes and ensure that we take accountability for keeping our data safe.