We all know that we should spend time creating a strong password. It’s one of those things that we know is important, but we tend to put it off. In this sense, it’s a lot like going for a run or eating healthy! One study reveals that almost 80% of hacking attempts are related to weak or easy-to-guess passwords.
Most hackers can crack passwords in less than a minute. The accounts that aren’t easily hacked are ones with complex passwords, two-factor-authentications, and other security measures. While it’s clear we need better passwords, it’s still so difficult to remember long strings of random characters. This calls for some password hacks!
The First Trick!
An essential trick to learn is how to create a strong password that is memorable but may as well be gibberish to anyone else. We like this method:
1. Create a memorable ten-plus word sentence.
2. Write down the first letter of each word.
3. Replace some of those letters with numbers or symbols. For instance, “1” for “l” or “$” for “s”.
You’ll never remember that password directly, but that’s okay—you can unlock it with your memorable sentence. To get an idea of how secure your password is, enter it into Safety Detectives: Password Meter. You can also use the tool as a password generator and use the one you get as a starting point.
The Second Manager
If you have lots of passwords, you might still need some help. Fortunately, many web browsers such as Safari and Chrome can securely store your passwords. When you visit sites that require passwords, you can enter yours with just a tap.
Or, if you need to remember passwords for things besides websites, apps such as One Key and Keeper Password will do a similar job. Most of these browser and app-based password managers will even suggest a strong password for you, but it might not be as memorable as the one you make up yourself.
Of course, if you’re going to be storing all of your passwords on your computer or phone, you’ll need to secure the device itself. First, that means using something like the sentence method to avoid a ‘password hacked’ situation. Then, if available, set up fingerprint or face ID for added security and convenience.
Go Old-School
Alternatively, you could do what Professor Angela Sasse, director of the UK Research Institute in Science of Cyber Security, recommends – aka writing passwords down. That’s right—writing down complicated but strong passwords is far safer than not writing down simple passwords. You only need to make sure the paper on which you write it is securely hidden away.
Future Generali knows how important it is to keep your identity and online data secure. Therefore, we’d like you to secure your money with guaranteed plans. Not only will these accounts keep your money safe from online threats, but will also help it grow.
Now, if only running and healthy eating were that easy to hack!
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