Why Strong Passwords Are Important

As online users, we are always warned about the importance of having strong passwords. But do we actually understand why they are so important?

The more secure your passwords, the better protection they can offer. The stronger your passwords are, the more secure your identity will be. Learn how strong passwords may safeguard your personal information and how to create them as well as how to maintain track of them in order to stay safe.

Weak passwords put your personal information at risk –

Consider how many times you have to create or use a password to access an online application or program. Online accounts are an important part of our lives, whether it’s to check emails, pay bills, shop online, study, register warranties, access government payments – and more – they’re a necessary component of our daily routine. They allow us to maintain track of our interactions with service providers, document our activity, and save critical information.

Every online account has a password that serves as a virtual key. They’re intended to safeguard your information, but for many individuals, their passwords are not strong enough.

In reality, many individuals fail to follow good password guidelines owing to inertia and a fear of forgetfulness. This causes passwords to be weak, with predictable pieces such as names, birthdates, or maiden names. This makes guessing easier for cybercriminals, particularly if they have access to a variety of personal information from a variety of sources including paper bills or public social media profiles.

Another concern to consider is using the same passwords on multiple sites. Once one password is discovered, it immediately gives access to many other accounts. This substantially increases the chance that your personal information will be stolen.

What happens if your passwords get hacked? –

You run the risk of becoming a victim of identity crime if your passwords are exposed. Once your accounts have been hacked, your personal information can be obtained and sold on the dark web. It can then be used to carry out fraudulent activities such as obtaining a loan in your name, making purchases on your credit card, fabricating false identification papers, and so on.

Identity theft has a huge impact on your life. It might cost you time, money, and your financial well-being. The biggest impacts identified in a 2021 AIC study were as follows:

• Time wasted – Victims of identity crime spent up to 49 hours reporting the damage caused.
• Money spent
• Credit refused

The best way to safeguard yourself is to create strong passwords for your accounts. Take a look at our password creation advice, which includes plenty of strong password examples below:

Make it distinctive. You may utilize a rule such as using the first two digits of each word to transform a significant expression into a password, such as “My first car was red.” For example: Phrase – My Mazda 3 was crimson. Password – myficawasma3re

Make it one of a kind by using a unique password for each online account you have. You may make this easier by using separate passphrases for various parts of your life, such as banking, shopping, email, and work. For instance, your banking passphrase might be about your first car, email passphrase about your first concert, and work passphrase about your favorite cuisine.

Make it more complicated by using longer passwords are more difficult to hack since they make it more difficult for hackers to break. To help you create longer passwords, consider using a passphrase rather than a password. Add complexity by combining upper and lowercase letters, numerals, and symbols with at least 8 characters each.

It’s a good sign if your password is difficult to recall. While this is excellent news for preserving your anonymity, it may not be such great news for you. It might be hard to remember so many accounts and passwords when there are so many of them.

While it may seem like a hassle to remember multiple complex passwords, the peace of mind that comes with knowing your personal information is safe and secure is worth the effort. Strong passwords are one line of defense against cybercrime, so make sure you’re doing everything you can to protect yourself. Follow these tips for creating and maintaining strong passwords, and rest assured that your identity is in good hands.

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