World Password Day commences on the first Thursday of May every year. Despite people having thousands of different passwords for different accounts it can be easy for someone else to access these. Keeping your data safe and harder to maintain is the way forward when creating a new account. With a number of employees still working from home it is only getting harder to ensure all security protocols are in place. Lots of hackers may take to this advantage so be wary!
Why is World Password Day important?
World Password Day is here to remind us that these small words, numbers and characters can actually protect a lot of our personal data. Additionally a warning that if you are still using the same weak password you should definitely consider an alternative. You could be hacked by identity thieves at any moment! Passwords have been around for decades whether it’s a modern day email account or the Middle Ages using a word to get access to a secret group – passwords have always been important. A survey composed by password manager LastPass found that:
- 92% know that using the same or a variation of the same password is a risk, but:
- 50% of us do it regardless!
So make sure you don’t just dismiss the importance of your password.
What is a strong password?
Keeping your passwords as strong as possible will prevent hackers and improve security. You don’t want to be using the classic ‘password’ or ‘123456’ as it will be subject to security breach.
To create a strong password include the following:
- Upper case and lower case characters
- Use a special character (!*@&)
- Longer than 8 characters
Think you aren’t a target?
It’s a common misconception that it will never be you that is targeted.
“They will never hack me, with only £5 in the bank?”
Although, if they did this to thousands, that one £5 soon adds up and those details can be used for access to your private data.
- 41% of the global respondents think their accounts aren’t valuable enough to be worth a hacker’s time.
What to do from here?
Keep your password up to date, especially when prompted. It may seem hard to create different passwords and remember them but you can use password manager tools such as StickyPassword, Dashlane and LastPass to keep your passwords encrypted.
When given the opportunity to use a two-factor authentication, do so! If a hacker does manage to get hold of your details they will be able to easily get in and access your private information. However, if you also add your telephone number that will text you a one-time code or create a security question, it will create a stronger barrier. Additionally, if you do receive a text and you haven’t attempted to login you can quickly go in and change your password.
Malware and protection software is regularly being updated and maintained by Software Developers. So you should also play your part in updating it! It may seem like as lot of unnecessary time out of your day if your computer needs to restart, however, there are scheduling options for after work if you can’t do it in the day. This will massively increase the protection of your computer and prevent any hackers attempts to remotely access your data.
Here’s to celebrating World Password Day. Keep your passwords safe and your data will be too!
