Alncom Security Tips – Don’t Reuse that Password!

August 25, 2020

Today, data breaches are more common than ever. A data breach is a leak of sensitive or confidential information, whether intentional or unintentional. It is almost a guarantee that at least one of your passwords, past or present, has been exposed by a data breach.

When passwords are exposed, hackers can buy them for a small sum, giving them unlimited access to your accounts and sensitive information. And, if you’ve used that password for multiple online accounts, bad guys could access those accounts too. So, if you’re still using your old MySpace password for your Facebook account, change that password immediately!

Here are some tips to keep in mind when creating new passwords:

  • Make your passwords complex
    • Complex passwords use at least eight characters with a combination of upper and lower case letters, numbers, and symbols.
      • Example: a3D$8k0*
  • Use passphrases
    • Passphrases are a phrase or sentence. Don’t use the lyrics of your favorite song or a quote from a book! Make it unique but make it something you can remember.
      • Example: Pa$$wordSafety1sC0ol
  • Use a password generator
    • Password creators such as Keeper Security and LastPass can generate passwords for you.
  • Don’t use variations of your old passwords
    • Hackers know that untrained users will do this, so they use automated tools to figure out these variations.
      • As a simple example, if your password is “Password”, don’t make it “Password1”. Hopefully, none of your passwords are actually “Password”!

Whether or not you’re sure that your password has been exposed, make the safe choice and make all of your passwords unique. Not sure how to keep track of all of these unique passwords? Ask us what we would recommend.