Cyber safety has been an ongoing topic for more than 30 years. According to Carly Okyle, journalist for Entrepreneur, in her article titled Password Statistics: The Bad, the Worse and the Ugly, 8 in 10 people are worried about their online security, but then 73% of all people are making the unsafe mistake of using duplicate passwords to secure their accounts.
Shockingly, Okyle also stated that 54% of all people are only using 5 or fewer passwords throughout their entire lifetime. More often than not, we change our passwords not because we are wanting to make sure our accounts are kept safe, but because we forgot our password. In the end it is an endless cycle of rotating passwords.
When securing your online accounts and setting your passwords, keep these tips in mind.
Don’t Use a Password You Have Used Before
Avoid These Top Used Passwords:
- 123456
- Password
- 12345
- 12345678
- Qwerty
Use A Combination Of Capital Letters, Lowercase Letters, Numbers and Symbols
Avoid Using Passwords That Contain Your Name or Private Information Such As:
- Date of Birth
- Phone Number
- Social Security Number
- Name
- Address
- Immediate Family Members Information
- Significant Others Information
Update and Change Your Passwords Regularly
Monitor Your Accounts:
- This is a simple tip that often gets missed. Many times you will be able to catch suspicious activity before it becomes a problem, just by closely monitoring your accounts. More often than not people realize they have been hacked at the point where it is too late.
John C. Maxwell said, “I believe that everyone chooses how to approach life. If you’re proactive, you focus on preparing. If you’re reactive, you end up focusing on repairing.” Prepare, don’t repair, and give yourself peace of mind by following these simple tips.
By: Christa Vandenburgh