How Strong is Your Password?
It’s World Password Day – a day to check in on your passwords and make sure you’re not using a common password that will put you at risk of being hacked. Whether it’s your WordPress site, your email or any other secure site you log into, today is a good day to change your password to make it more secure!
Here’s a list of the most common passwords of 2017. Some are quite entertaining! Some, well, how unoriginal can a person be? Please tell me you don’t use such easy-to-guess passwords on your website or email. Just don’t do it!
To be safe, use a password with at least 12 characters, using numbers, letters, including upper and lower case, and symbols. Think of a phrase you’ll remember and sprinkle some characters in between the letters.
Password Manager Programs Can Help
Or better yet, use a password manager to generate your password, and keep track of them so you don’t have to write them on that sticky note! Look for a password manager that syncs across devices, so you can get your password on your phone or your PC.
PC Magazine has a list of password manager programs. , LastPass, RoboForm, and Dashlane are three that rated pretty well. If you’re on a MAC, just look through the App Store, there’s all kinds of password managers, including Dashland and LastPass.
I’ve used Passwords Plus for years, it’s by Dataviz, Inc. I like it because you can generate long passwords, save it, and take notes regarding the type of account it applies to.
Take your pick, get a program, and give up using those lame passwords. No more dog names or birthdays!
If you really want to be secure, enable two-factor authentication. It’s putting one password on top of another to help that account stay secure.
So many choices, so there’s no reason to EVER use “abcdef123456” again.
Give me a call or drop me an email if you’re not sure how to install a password manager, or if you’re unsure how to change your WordPress password. I’m happy to help!