By: Steven White
Before
internet got popularity, keeping passwords safe was not a serious
problem. But today whether it is a small standalone system or a computer
connected to various networks, password management is something
inevitable. For security reasons, we use multiple passwords for
different websites and accounts and in order to remember and manage
them, we all need password management tools.
Although there are several password managers available, you can
consider the following tips as well in order to manage your sensitive
information;
• Use a strong password which is hard to crack or guess. Hackers are
all around you, ready to hack whatever they can find. Most vulnerable
accounts are those which have weaker passwords like “12345678” or
“password”. This is an unhealthy practice. When choosing a password, be
very careful and include numbers as well as letters to your code.
•
If you have multiple accounts, never use one password for all; if one
account gets hacked, you will lose all accounts with that password. So,
use different passwords for different accounts. And, if you find it hard
to remember all of them, you can use some password management software.
•
Don’t keep a password for more than three months; it is important to
keep on changing your passwords. This will ensure maximum security.
Again, if you forget to do it regularly, you can use password managers.
•
Your passwords length should be at least ten to twelve characters.
Shorter passwords are more vulnerable and can be guessed easily.
• Most risky and vulnerable password is that of your primary email account. It is important to keep it safe and never share it.
There are some unhealthy practices in regard to password management. Consider a few below;
• Using only letters or only numbers; good passwords are made up of upper case letters, lower case letters as well as numbers.
• Many people use their pet, spouse, children name as passwords; these are the words which are easiest to guess.
• Moreover, birthdates, phone numbers or any other important numbers also make up bad and insecure passwords
•
Many people use the entire username as password; never do this, never
even use any of your username in your password. Try to make it as
different from username as possible.
• Do not use dictionary words as your passwords, because they too are too easy to guess.
Password Managers
If you find creating and managing passwords too
difficult, you can use password management software programs too. They
are tools designed to generate passwords, store sensitive information
and keep regular checks as well. These applications can be downloaded on
your device or can be used online through different websites. They
encrypt your data and decrypt it when you have to view it. These
applications provide one secure vault where you can keep all your
passwords and data. Some programs can even notify you to change
passwords periodically. For large businesses, password managers serve
good purpose and make communication flow easier.
Keeping your passwords safe is too important to guard valuable information; so, select your code words wisely.
