VirtualThreat the quieter you become, the more you are able to hear
Chris Dougherty
Virtual Threat Contributing Writer
You can use our FREE Secure Password Generator to create a new password now.
Top 15 Tips to Create Strong Passwords
Today’s digital world brings new conveniences and entertainment in the form of online shopping, banking and social networking sites. With these conveniences there are also new threats lurking under the covers of the Internet. Hackers, hactivists and cyber criminals are waiting in the dark shadows of the inter-webs, waiting for you to make a mistake. If you slip-up, the attackers will have open access to the depths of your personal life including your email, bank accounts and more.
The first step towards reducing the threat of online identity theft should come in the form of a very secure password. The majority of account hacks reported each day are do to the use of insecure passwords. Hackers often make use of automated software and huge word dictionaries in order to brute force account passwords. Using the 15 tips below, you should create a very strong, unique password for every site that you visit on the Internet.
A strong password:
- has 15 or more characters
- has uppercase letters
- has lowercase letters
- has numbers
- has symbols, such as ~ ` ! @ # $ % ^ & * ( ) _ – = + [ ] { } | ; : ‘ ” , . < > \ / ?
- is not like your previous passwords
- is not your name
- is not your government ID number
- is not your birthday or that of a family member
- is not your login or user name
- is not your friend’s name
- is not your family member’s name
- is not your pet’s name
- is not a common name
- is not a dictionary word
Once you have created your password you should store it on an encrypted USB drive like the Encrypt Stick. This is the single best way to limit your exposure to online account takeovers and hackers.
You can use our FREE Secure Password Generator to create a new password now.
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