Email, social media, online banking, and countless other services all rely on passwords to control access to our data. Without a password or with a weak, easy-to-guess password, hackers can easily access our accounts and profiles. Once they’re in, they steal financial information, personal data, photos, and more. A strong password acts like a digital deadbolt on a door, keeping the bad guys out. That’s why having unique, complex passwords for every account is so critical.
Common password mistakes
Unfortunately, many people engage in practices that weaken their password protections. Some of the most common password mistakes include:
- Password reuse – Using the same password across multiple sites makes accounts vulnerable if any one site is breached.
- Weak passwords – Simple or easy-to-guess passwords like “123456” or “password” are easily cracked by brute force attacks.
- Not changing passwords – Failing to periodically change passwords allows hackers more time to guess or steal them.
- Writing down passwords – Saving passwords in unsecured notes or files provides a treasure map if those documents are compromised.
- Using personal info – Birthdays, names, phone numbers, and other personal info make easy fodder for social engineering and guessing.
- Not enabling two-factor authentication – SMS and authenticator apps provide an extra layer of protection beyond just a password.
Tips for password protection
Thankfully, with some education and the right tools, we all develop good password habits:
- Use a password manager – Managers enable complex unique passwords for every account.
- Go long – The longer the password, the harder it is to crack. Consider passphrases over typical passwords.
- Randomize – Use random strings of letters, numbers, and symbols without patterns.
- Ditch the dictionary – Avoid common words, names, and dates in passwords.
- Regularly change – Update passwords often, especially for important accounts like email or banking.
- Avoid repetition – Never reuse the same password across multiple sites or accounts.
- Use a password tip – Write down a hint to jog your memory but never the actual password.
- Watch for leaks – Monitor haveibeenpwned.com to see if your accounts appear in password dumps.
- Go local – Consider using a password manager that encrypts passwords locally rather than in the cloud.
Ease of password managers
The biggest obstacle to good password hygiene is inconvenience. Having to remember dozens of complex passwords is challenging. Fortunately, password managers exist specifically to make robust security more practical for everyday internet users. Password manager apps provide encrypted digital vaults that store all your passwords securely behind one master password. Top safenote password managers integrate directly into your browser for easy auto-fill of passwords, saving you the headache of constantly typing and remembering them. They also provide password generators to create long random strings when making new passwords.
While storing all your passwords in one place may seem contrary to good security, password managers use encrypted databases that even their own company can’t access. Having unique complex passwords for every account is far safer than reusing passwords or writing them in unsecured notes. For most users, a good password manager paired with a strong master password provides ideal simplicity without sacrificing security.
While password security may seem complicated to manage, a good password manager resolves much of that complexity for you. Investing the effort into proper password hygiene provides peace of mind that your accounts and data are as protected as possible. Like locking your door at night, taking advantage of passwords and two-factor authentication keeps the bad guys out of your digital life.