Passwords are the key to your online safety.
Quite literally.
They’re the main thing keeping your accounts safe.
But how do you know that a password’s good enough?
Let's take a look at how to create the most secure password.
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Now, back to the passwords..
Here are a few tips for creating a good password that you won't forget as soon as you close
the page.
First and foremost, make sure the password is long enough – ten characters long at
least.
You might’ve heard that eight characters are plenty, but times have changed.
The newest computers allow criminals to brute force your eight-character password in a matter
of hours, no matter how complex.
Second, make sure the password is complex.
Include lower- and uppercase letters, numbers, and special characters.
The more special characters, the better.
The next tip is to use a password manager.
Long, complex passwords can be hard to remember, but a powerful password manager like NordPass
can help you keep them organized.
NordPass lets you store all of your credentials in a secure vault, autofills your logins,
helps you generate complex passwords, and remembers them for you, so you don’t have
to!
Use mnemonics.
If password managers aren’t your thing, creating memorable phrases that relate to
the service you're creating them for can be the answer.
For example, you sign up for a VPN.
You could use the phrase “I like to use NordVPN to protect my data” and use it as
a mnemonic for the password like this.
Another tip for remembering your password is to use a passphrase.
Keep in mind that using common words can be risky.
However, stringing some random words together may work.
Randomness is key, though.
The human brain is extremely bad at stringing together truly random words, so the EFF website
provides a list of numbered words.
A combination like “right zebra fashion ultramarine football work” is extremely
difficult to guess because of its length and randomness.
But it is fairly easy to remember.
Another tip for creating a robust password is to use a password generator.
Try the NordPass random password generator to improve your password strength and create
strong yet unique passwords.
Now that your password game is stronger, let's take a look at what to avoid when creating
your logins.
Never use your username as part of the password, no matter how many more random characters
you add.
Don't use the names of friends, family members, or pets.
And never ever use your own.
Never use consecutive numbers, letters, or keyword keys.
Everyone knows about qwerty123.
Everyone.
As we mentioned previously, dictionary words are a no-go.
Simple word combinations like Yellowsun or SecurityRulez are really not secure.
The same goes for obvious substitutions.
Yellow$un or S3curityRul3z are not good enough.
Ok, so creating a strong password is crucial, but it's not enough to stay safe.
You have to use common sense to keep safe.
Here's what I mean.
Never reuse passwords on different accounts, no matter how strong they are.
Change all of your passwords at least every six months.
Don't share your passwords with anyone.
If someone finds out your password or a service you’re using gets breached, change your
login information instantly.
Avoid using the browser to store your passwords or at least set up a master password first.
Avoid typing your password on someone else's device.
Now that you’ve gotten these tips down, you should definitely feel safer on the web.
Happy surfing!
And if you want further tips to feel even more secure, check out other videos on the
NordVPN YouTube channel!