Passwords are the keys to your online accounts, and they need to be protected from hackers, phishing, and identity theft. In this article, you will learn how to secure your internet passwords using some simple and effective methods.
The first step to secure your internet passwords is to create strong and unique passwords for each account. A strong password is one that is long, random, and contains a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols. A unique password is one that is not used for any other account or service. This way, you can prevent hackers from guessing or cracking your passwords, or using them to access other accounts.
In my line of work I've seen weak passwords exploited in the worst ways by criminals. The most common way is by using dictionary based brute-force attacks to access email accounts. Once they get into your email account they are able to gain access to a list of all the people you have ever communicated with and begin going after them, too. Aside from potentially sending out spam from your account and making you go through the embarrassing steps of notifying everyone in your contact list: "don't open that email! i got hacked!" -- they also get access to any unprotected attachments you've sent. Things like tax returns, copies of your ID, and potentially even credit card numbers. Weak passwords can really make you susceptible to terrible things
The second step to secure your internet passwords is to use a password manager. A password manager is a software or app that stores and encrypts your passwords in a secure vault. It also helps you generate and fill in strong and unique passwords for each account. You only need to remember one master password to access your password manager. This way, you can avoid writing down or reusing your passwords, or forgetting them.
If you're going to use randomly generated passwords one of the first questions you may ask is: "how am I supposed to remember it?" We recommend everyone use a secure password manager to store all passwords for ease of use. This will allow you to keep really strong passwords without the hassle of needing to remember them all. You can use something a little simpler on your password manager BUT making sure multi-factor authentication is turned on.
The third step to secure your internet passwords is to enable two-factor authentication. Two-factor authentication is a feature that adds an extra layer of security to your accounts. It requires you to enter a code or a token that is sent to your phone, email, or app, along with your password, to log in. This way, you can prevent hackers from accessing your accounts even if they have your passwords.
There is no one single way to prevent hackers from getting access to your stuff. It's a combination of things working together that make the difference. Your password is your first line of defense, so make sure it's a strong one. Two-factor authentication is your second line of soldiers in case the first line falls down. You should turn on two-factor authentication on any and all applications that support it, especially email, social media, and bank accounts.
The fourth step to secure your internet passwords is to update your passwords regularly. Updating your passwords means changing them to new and different ones every few months or whenever you suspect a breach. This way, you can reduce the risk of hackers using old or compromised passwords to access your accounts.
This is actually an old way of thinking. The cybersecurity frameworks used to suggest regular password rotation in order to "keep them guessing" but this is actually no longer recommended by NIST as of (I believe) 2022. The new recommendation is to use multi-factor authentication on everything possible, and to use secure unique passwords for everything so that no two accounts ever use the same password. This is the new standard.
The fifth step to secure your internet passwords is to avoid phishing and malware. Phishing is a technique that hackers use to trick you into revealing your passwords or other sensitive information by sending you fake emails, messages, or websites. Malware is a software that hackers use to infect your devices and steal your passwords or other data. To avoid phishing and malware, you should always check the sender, the URL, and the content of any email or message you receive, and never click on suspicious links or attachments. You should also use antivirus and firewall software to protect your devices from malware.
Phishing is coming in all shapes and sizes these days and the only way to prevent it is by educating yourself and your staff on how to spot it. If you aren't an IT person you will probably miss the subtle details, which are dead-giveaways for us, unless you are taught how to spot them. Regular phishing simulation and cybersecurity awareness training is an exercise which is absolutely essential for all businesses to go through. Not once a year. Ongoing, constantly changing and shifting campaigns are necessary in order to properly teach and train your staff about what to look for, what not to click on, and when to ask for help.
The sixth step to secure your internet passwords is to use a VPN. A VPN is a service that encrypts and anonymizes your internet traffic. It also allows you to connect to different servers around the world. This way, you can prevent hackers, ISPs, or advertisers from tracking, intercepting, or snooping on your online activities, especially when you use public or unsecured Wi-Fi networks.