The internet is changing fast, and one of the things that are getting more difficult to deal with is password management. It can be difficult to keep your passwords safe and in a place where they’re out of danger. It’s hard enough to deal with your life without throwing passwords into the mix.
I have some password management tips that can help you with the general security of your system. The password is the first line of defense between hackers and your information. Make sure you know what you’re doing for the best results.
1. Don’t Tell Anyone Your Password
First, and a tip I can’t recommend strongly enough, is to avoid telling anyone your password. The fewer people you tell your secret information, the safer it will be. I would write down a password over verbally passing it to another person.
If you tell someone your password, you risk:
- Someone overhearing the information
- Letting that person have full access to your stuff
These can put your personal information in jeopardy.
If you have the chance to give someone your password, I recommend that you don’t. Try to keep it safe in your head until you can find a place to document your password if you forget it in the future.
2. Use Multi-Factor Authentication
The next thing I need to emphasize is multi-factor authentication. This process requires any user to provide two methods of identity before they can get into their account. You will need to enter a password, but you may also need to type in another source of information like your mother’s maiden name or hometown.
Multi-factor authentication can:
- Slow down hackers attempting to break into your account
- Allow you to feel safer about your information
There are many benefits to multi-factor authentication.
It may seem like a pain to enter two things into your computer every time you log into the system, but I can safely say it makes an impact on the safety of your system. The more walls you have up, the better.
3. Change Your Password Regularly
Changing your password is another way to perform quality password management. I think that you should switch it up at least a couple of times a year, and even sooner. I’ll mention a few, so you can get a better idea of when you should make a change to your security.
Some situations that could call for a password change include:
- The transfer of data to a different system
- Any alert that someone has attempted to access your account
- Whenever you use an unsecured network to go online
I think these call for a password change.
When it comes to password safety, it’s better to be safe than sorry. If you feel like your password is in danger, I say you should change it up to ensure you’re managing your system as safely as possible.
4. Make Your Password Complex and Long
The more complex and lengthy your password is, the trickier a time a hacker will have attempting to break into your system. In general, longer is better than complex. However, the ultimate password wisely combines these two factors into one excellent safety measure for their information.
Some examples of ideal passwords include:
- Koala615forty76fivesevenfive654
- HITHEREMOM45632299917
These are tricky to guess and harder to hack from the outside.
Some passwords require at least one symbol, while others don’t allow them. Whatever your requirements are, ensure you make the word as long and complex as possible.
5. Use Different Passwords for Varying Accounts
There is nothing less responsible than using the same password for every account you have. If you want to ensure you’re keeping your information behind locked doors, keep your passwords different for varying accounts. This way, a hacker won’t access all your systems in one try.
You should ensure you utilize different passwords for varying accounts because:
- It makes substantial hacking harder to complete
- It makes any damages less harmful
- It throws off potential intruders
Varying passwords allow security all across the board.
If you have trouble keeping track of passwords, I suggest a password manager keep everything in line. I’ll go over this option next so you can jot down your passwords as soon as you create them.
6. Try a Password Manager
If you’ve never heard of a password manager, I say it’s time to look into one for yourself. A password manager is a digital system that works to store, generate, and manage passwords, all in the same system. It’s a helpful tool for general password management.
Some of the best password managers include:
- Keeper
- Zoho
- DashLane
- LastPass
These will work to keep your passwords safe and organized.
Password managers may seem like another unnecessary system for your computer, but you’ll find that they’ll become second nature after a while. I think you should try one out if you never have before.
7. Write Your Password Down
Finally, I suggest you physically write down your password and keep it somewhere safe. There’s nothing that beats this technique. Unless someone physically breaks into your home, there’s no way they can hack a piece of paper to reveal your defense.
Some places you might write down your password include:
- A notebook
- A sticky note
- A pocketbook
Once you write the password, you can keep it somewhere safe, like a safe or a locked box.
They also make specific notebooks for password keeping that you can find for a price online. There are plenty of solid paper options that are safe to put a password inside for future reference.
Conclusion
There are many things you can do to manage your passwords. Once you know which strategies will keep your system as private as possible, you can take active measures to keep track of your password with care.
I hope these tips have been helpful to you! It can be scary to deal with cybersecurity in our world, but there are simple actions you can perform to increase your safety. All the tips we talked about will help keep your online data safer.