Do you know that around 24% of Americans have used passwords like "password," "Qwerty," and "123456"? Are you one of them? Keep reading to find out how to create passwords that take scammers 34,000 years to crack.

Let's start with some very disturbing data:

  • 67% of internet users in the USA use the same password for different online platforms,
  • 53% of people rely on their memories to handle passwords, 
  • 90% of internet users are concerned about having their passwords compromised.


Why are we downplaying the creation of strong, not obvious passwords? Because it's easier and more convenient? Do we really get so lazy that we can't spend a few minutes longer to protect our data? We shouldn't be shocked when our profiles are stolen, then. Because if we don't care about our online safety, then no one other does.


Fortunately, there is some good news! A strong, good, protective word key doesn't have to be long or complicated.

What should a strong password look like?

It is defined by 3 factors: the length, the variety of characters chosen, and the letter used in the row. Scientists claim that a 12 characters password, with only one uppercase letter and one special symbol (like #,$,!,_ etc.), is almost unbreakable. 

Of course, the longer, the better, but 12 characters are fine enough. The more letters in a row, the weaker the word. 

And remember that changing every keyword once a few months is good practice to ensure we're under protection.

What tools can you use? 

If you worry that your passwords are too similar or weak, use a password generator. It is safe and free and gives you a random and unique password, not connected to you anyway. But how are you going to remember all of this?

Remembering passwords with your computers is tempting, but we know the more secure way. You can use the password manager website. It's super safe, protected by a password, and you can put all your keywords inside with proper encryption. Usually, it has a password generation option too.


As you can see, creating a strong password is not complicated at all. You take up more time. Few more seconds to think it's a low price for your privacy. Don't get lazy. It's too much to lose.

 

Read our blog or join us on Facebook to know more about online safety.

Altroo Team