Okay, hands up – how many of you are still reusing the same passwords across a bunch of accounts? Uh-huh. I see you. You've probably heard this before but it bears repeating: using the same password over and over is a massive privacy no-no.
If you're wondering how you're supposed to keep track of dozens of unique logins, however, then I have good news – a password manager will do it for you. They'll even generate new passwords and encrypt your existing ones. Even better? Plenty of today’s best VPNs also have their very own password managers.
We're right in the middle of the Cyber Monday VPN sales, though there's not a lot of time left to bag a bargain. So, if you’re intrigued by password managers and want all the benefits of a VPN, take the plunge. Your digital privacy will thank you for it.
Why password security matters
Cybercriminals are crafty little creeps, and the first and best way of preventing them from accessing your accounts (and all of the potentially sensitive data stored within) is with a secure password. Plus, you’ll also be reducing the risk of being involved in costly data leaks.
A weak password is, as you can imagine, a lot easier to crack than one stuffed with symbols and numbers. Ensuring that your password is at least 16 characters long means it’ll take billions of years to figure out – whereas an 8-character password only takes a few hours.
Of course, you won’t want to use that one solid password for everything, as reusing passwords is massively risky. If a bad actor gets access to one account, and you’ve been sharing passwords across multiple sites, they could get access to everything else – your social media, banking platforms, and medical accounts.
Then, the bad actor has everything they need to lock you out of your account and sell your data for profit – or even go on to commit identity fraud.
Top tips for strengthening your passwords
So, with all this in mind, you might be wondering about the ingredients to a perfect password. Let’s go through the recipe one at a time:
- One password per account: every time you log in to a site or create a new account, you should be using a different password – and a password manager can help you generate and remember these unique logins.
- Get creative with symbols and numbers: the best passwords are an eclectic mix of characters – numbers, symbols, and non-dictionary terms included. Get weird with it if you’re generating your own.
- Don’t include personal information: gone are the days when including your pet, children, or spouse’s name in a password was acceptable. It’s a nice homage, but it’s predictable, and a hacker combing through your social media will incorporate these details into their brute-force attacks.
- Switch it up regularly: change your passwords every three months or so to keep your accounts locked up tight and, if you receive an alert that a login has been involved in a data leak, change the associated password right away.
- Enable multi-factor authentication: MFA is a must-have wherever it’s available, as it requires you to input a unique code whenever logging into a site or app. You’ll receive the code via text, usually, which means that a hacker won’t be able to access your accounts unless they have your phone, too (which is seriously unlikely).
