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Easy Passwords All But Give Away Your Sensitive Information

There are plenty of ways for hackers to crack into your private accounts using various software systems made specifically for that purpose, but it’s usually the more serious online criminals that are capable of this. However, there are thousands of amateur hackers that know how to guess simple passwords, so in addition to the expensive and comprehensive security software you should invest in, your first line of defense is choosing a difficult password. With so many online accounts and memberships it may be convenient to use one standard password, but this leaves all your information exposed. We also acknowledge that keeping up with dozens of complicated, random passwords can be impossible. For this reason we suggest storing all your passwords in an online password manager such as RoboForm or KeePass. These sites allow you to store all of your passwords in one location and access them with one master password. But in the meantime, when you’re creating your next online account, consider a few of these tips for a more secure password.

1. Never Include Personal Information: Most people make the mistake of including their birth date digits in a password or the last four digits of their phone number. No matter how you look at it, this poses a problem. Someone who knows you or has access to this information is likely to guess it very quickly. Conversely, a stranger who hacks into your account will likely assume these numbers are of some significance and now have access to other sensitive information.
2. Avoid Repeating Passwords: Even if you come up with what you think to be the most cryptic, un-guessable password, if you use it more than once, you increase your risk. If someone manages to obtain this password, they will likely try it on other accounts, because so many people repeat passwords.
3. Vary Cases: Against a professional hacker, this doesn’t offer much protection, but if you are in a public and an ill-intended stranger is watching you, there is added security if you use varied cases in a password. It is much more difficult for someone watching you to figure out your password if it is case sensitive, because this is much more difficult to see with the naked eye.
4. Use an Acronym: A favorite saying or phrase of yours is easy to remember, yet the first letter of each word within the phrase will create a random jumble of letters, which will be very difficult to guess.
5. Don’t Use Keyboard Patterns: Another common password mistake is to use a string of adjacent keys for your password such as qwerty or 12345. These are both easily guessed and easily observed with the naked eye. What may seem easy initially could cause a world of hardship in the event that your account is hacked.