I was reading SplashData’s annual report of the worst passwords, and frankly I’m appalled that people can be so lackadaisical when it comes to protecting themselves and their personal data.
Newsflash, .SoSocial readers: 123456 is a terrible password. So is baseball and 12345678, yet they all made the top ten in 2015.
Seriously.
Whether we’re talking about social media accounts or any website that requires you to choose a password, it’s not about you having something easy to remember but having something that hackers can’t get ahold of in a matter of seconds. If your Twitter and Facebook accounts get hacked, I guarantee that you’ll spend so much more time trying to get them back than you would have if you spent 15 minutes coming up with a strong password and properly securing it.
So with that, here are my tips for choosing strong passwords and protecting yourself and your data in 2016 and beyond.
Passwords are not supposed to be easy to remember: We pick 123456 and baseball and football with convenience in mind and nothing else. Up-to-date browsers such as Safari will not only choose a random secure password, they'll store it in your computer's keychain so it automatically fills in the next time you need it. Combine that with features that allow you to sync passwords between devices — again, all normal for up-to-date browsers — and you won't have to remember a thing and your computer will do the heavy lifting.
Or do it yourself: Google the words "strong random password generator": You'll get a bunch of website suggestions that will actually choose a password for you. You can even choose how strong it is by including special characters. You can choose the number of characters, too, and I recommend starting with at least 16.
A different password for everything: Your Twitter password should not be the same as the password you use to log in to your banking accounts. Remember: It's not about being easy to remember, it's about making absolutely certain that if someone guesses one of your passwords that they don't guess them all. Sounds like a nightmare scenario, doesn't it? Happens more often than you'd think.
Create a list of passwords and treat it as you would anything else that's valuable: Carefully type out the website or social media platform in an Excel spreadsheet or a Google Doc or even in a password-protected blog. Save it in multiple places in case something happens to your computer or you lose your phone. Passwords are just as valuable as anything you'd put in a safe deposit box.
If a website offers extra protection, always take advantage of it: Many websites, social networks and email programs allow for an extra level of security by providing a phone number. In those cases, a code is texted to you and you must enter it before you'll be allowed to log in or change the password.
Also bad: Never changing your passwords: It's not a badge of honor to say that you haven't changed your Facebook password for years. I think passwords should be changed once a year at minimum, and remember when you change not to make it similar to the previous one.
Don’t take unnecessary risks. Secure your digital footprint on the Internet. Fifteen minutes worth of work can save you thousands of hours of heartache.
About the Author
