Data security is no joke, as about 9 million Americans have their identity stolen each year. But keeping your information protected has never been more challenging.
Personal data, such as bank account information, usernames, and passwords, are often stored online and on our devices. Clever hackers can find and decrypt this information, giving them access to your accounts.
That’s why many people are choosing to invest in data security tools, including password managers. But what do password managers do, and what are the benefits of installing one? Let’s find out!
What Is a Password Manager?
A password manager is an application that can log your passwords and save them. It can also protect your passwords, making it far more difficult for hackers to guess or decrypt them.
Powerful password managers also tend to offer additional data security services or features. They work on multiple devices (iOS, Android, PC) and can keep your online data safe.
What Are the Benefits?
Some fundamental password managers are free to use, but others may charge monthly subscription fees. As such, you might feel uncertain about investing in a password manager.
However, these data protection applications offer some unique and significant advantages are:
- Increased Information Security, and
- Convenience and Ease of Use
A password manager can keep your passwords secure by encrypting them and saving them to a secure internal database. It can also keep a log of your passwords, ensuring that you never forget them.
If you’re someone that has several online accounts across multiple platforms, a password manager could end up saving your hours. It’s also a great way to keep smartphone apps logged in and secured.
Be sure to look for a password manager that offers multi-factor authentication. These will add an extra layer of security to your accounts.
With this system set in place, you’ll also receive notifications of suspicious login attempts. Accounts with multiple potential hacks may be sensitive or insecure. With this info, you can take steps to protect your data.
That said, a password manager works best when it’s combined with smart password creation techniques.
Tips for Creating Passwords
While data protection software is an excellent investment, you can also take steps to create safer passwords, no software necessary. Some of the best do’s and don’ts for generating top-notch passwords include:
- Don’t Use Short Passwords
- Don’t Use Personal Information
- Do Use Different Cases
- Do Implement Numbers
- Do Use Different Passwords
- Do Use Phrases
Let’s take a few minutes to explore these tips and tricks. That way, you can avoid the dangers of creating a weak password. Remember, the stronger your passwords, the more secure your personal data!
Don’t Use Short Passwords
How long are your passwords? If the general answer is, “Less than ten characters,” you’ll want to change habits. Longer passwords are almost always more secure.
After all, decrypting programs will need to work longer to confirm each character. So, if your password is ‘House22’, it will be far easier to guess than ‘EstablishmentBuilding22’.
Don’t Use Personal Information
Using any kind of personal information as part of your password is a bad idea. For example, birthdays, names, pet names, and even addresses can be terrible passwords.
That’s because much of your personal information may be available online. Hackers can use this published data to guess your passwords.
If you’re using personal information, you’re unintentionally giving identity thieves a helping hand!
Do Use Different Cases
Are you typing your password in all capital letters or lowercase letters? If so, your password might be weaker than you think!
Using different cases is an excellent way to add a little security to your password. So instead of using ‘DougMachupo386’, you could use ‘douGmAchUpo386’.
This small change does add time to the decryption process, potentially saving your account from hackers.
Do Implement Numbers
Passwords that are only alphabetical text might be easier to guess. Implementing numbers is a great way to make your password more complex and challenging to decrypt.
That said, there’s one general don’t when it comes to using numbers in passwords: Don’t use numbers that link to personal information. These might be birthdays, PINs, or anniversaries.
Numbers that are linked to your personal information or identity may be easier to guess. For that reason, it’s always best to use a random series of numbers that have no ties to your interests or data.
Do Use Different Passwords
Are you using the same password for all of your online accounts? If so, you’ll want to change your passwords right away!
If you’re only using one password for all your accounts, dubious data thieves can quickly unlock and access them after guessing one password. Using a different password for each account is far safer.
Of course, remembering all those passwords can be challenging. That’s why you’ll want to invest in a password management system!
Do Use Phrases
Using a single word for your password is dangerous. Even with added numerals or punctuation, singular words are far easier to guess or decrypt than multiple words.
Consequently, it’s an excellent idea to use phrases as passwords. However, these shouldn’t be everyday expressions. Instead, try to think of something bizarre or something that only makes sense to you.
Inside jokes work wonderfully as passwords, so long as you haven’t posted those jokes online. Remember, skillful hackers can track your online presence and activity by monitoring your IPS address and accounts.
Using phrases that aren’t tied to your pre-existing accounts is crucial. For example, if you often post online about your passion for geology, ‘GeologyFan54’ might not be a great choice for a password.
Protect Your Information Today
Protecting your information starts with proper password creation and management. However, keeping track of all your different passwords can be challenging. Fortunately, top-notch data security software can help.
If you’re looking for a capable password management system, be sure to check out LogMeOnce! Not only will you find a password-less password management service, but you’ll also find other great data security tools.
Are you ready to upgrade your online security? Then, be sure to sign up today!
