With so many passwords to remember these days it’s a wonder we don’t all lock ourselves out of every website we visit. This handy guide will explain what makes a good password and offer 5 handy tips.
Why so many passwords?
With over 644 Million websites online today we often visit 20-30 sites every day whether it be on social media, checking your bank, buying something online or managing your website there is a password for almost every site we use. So how do we remember all these passwords?
Simply put, we don’t – and here’s why…
Most people don’t all have different passwords for every site they use, but rather a handful of similar passwords used for multiple sites. This makes it easy to remember our login info, but is significantly less secure.
It’s almost impossible to have a different password for each site and remember them, so some would prefer to write it down while others use a more modern approach.
See our handy tips below for choosing a secure password and keeping it safe.
5 Handy Tips for a secure password
Use a password generator
If you can’t think of a password why not use a password generator. There are lots of these online and are simple and easy to use. They are also ideal if you need a secure password, fast! Here’s a couple to get you started:
https://passwordsgenerator.net – Flexible & able to create complex passwords
https://www.lastpass.com/password-generator – Simple and easy to use
Use different passwords for different sites
Use a different password for every login you have. This not only makes it almost impossible to guess but also makes it much more secure for people trying to gain access by guessing your password. It also means that if one of your accounts is compromised, chances are they won’t get in using the same password!
Make your passwords as long and as complex as possible
The best way to prevent people guessing your password is to make them as complex and as long as possible. The harder it is for you to remember means the harder it is for other people to guess.
Keep your password safe
keeping your passwords safe is a task most of us struggle with the most. Thankfully there are a number of ways that can help. One noticeable way is to use a password storage manager. These are usually small pieces of software installed on your computer that securely store your passwords and bring them up when you login to a website. See https://www.lastpass.com/password-manager
Try not to write them down
Try not to write down your passwords in physical form. Identity theft is often caused by passwords being too simple or being written down. However if you do write them down, make sure you keep them in a locked drawer or filing cabinet.