Passwords
Here are some top tips for creating a strong password - one that can’t be guessed by other people.
Why we need passwords
Many websites will ask for personal details, such as your name, address, date of birth or credit card information. To protect that information, you have to create a password. Creating a good password that can’t easily be guessed is an important way of protecting yourself online.
Why good passwords matter
If somebody else gets hold of your password, they can use that password to access the personal accounts on the websites you’ve visited. That means that your email, banking, shopping and social media accounts might be hijacked.
A good password makes it much harder for someone to guess your password, which means that your personal accounts can be far more secure.
What not to do
There are some common mistakes that people make when creating passwords. These include:
Using obvious or very simple passwords, such as 1234 or password.
Using personal information, like birthdays, or the names of pets or family members.
Using dictionary words, such as January, beach or family.
Using the same password for multiple websites.
You should avoid making these mistakes yourself. Instead, you should create what’s known as a ‘good’ password, one that can’t be easily guessed.
How to create a good password
A good password looks like it’s just a jumble of letters, numbers and symbols. For example, 3br@T2 or Figit32! are good passwords. But remembering those types of passwords can be hard, so there are some tricks you can use to create good passwords that you can remember.
Don’t use dictionary words
You can use the substitution method. This is where you take a word and replace several letters with numbers, symbols and upper case letters. For example, friday could become f7!Day.
You can use a phrase or lyric that you remember and make the password from the first letter of each word. For example, Married on the 24th of July could be used to remember the good password, Mot24oJ.
Storing passwords in a web browser
Over time, you’ll need to remember a lot of passwords. Your web browser can help with that. Just follow these steps:
When you enter the password on a website, your browser will ask if it you would like it to remember the password.
Only click Yes if you own the computer. If you’re on a public computer, click No or Never.
If you clicked Yes, the next time you visit that website, the password will be filled in for you.
Keeping it up
You should create a new good password every time you’re asked to create a new password. As an added precaution, you can change your most important passwords every few months.
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