Passwords are one of the first lines of defense in keeping your information safe online. When it comes to password protection, think in terms of layers. In this post, we want to outline some ways you can double, even triple, your login protection.
When creating a password, try merging three uncommonly used words (example: staple, sentinel, orangutang). Then, add numbers to your newly merged word. Per NCCIC guidance, we suggest a total of 16-30 characters. Avoid using personal data when creating your password. Doing so will give hackers too much information should your password ever show up in a security breach.
You can add another layer of protection to your passwords by not re-using them. Having different passwords for various accounts can help prevent cyber criminals from gaining access, thereby protecting more of your information in the event of a breach.
We recommend that you do not share your passwords with anyone. Every time you share a password it opens more ways with which it could be misused or stolen.
A few more important layers of protection we recommend implementing are:
- Using multi-factor authentication whenever provided.
- Using fake, non-personal answers to security-questions.
- Managing your passwords by saving them in a list that is not on a cloud or in your google-drive. This allows you to make more diverse, creative passwords.
Creating passwords with these tips in mind is an easy way to improve your cybersecurity. This multi-layered approach to password protection allows you to put cybersecurity first across all your devices.
#seeyourselfincyber #messiahcyber
Post written by Allen Snook, Director of Information Security at Messiah University, and Cybersecurity interns.
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