Trying to remember a password for one of your many accounts can be difficult. Trying to pick a strong password can be even more tricky! With #WorldPasswordDay happening this week, we’ve decided to take a look at this year’s most popular passwords from across the web.
If you see your password featured below, we think it may be time for a change. Sure, these passwords are easy for you to remember, but it’s also just as easy for a hacker to guess your password…
1. A ‘strong’ password should include a mixture of lowercase and uppercase letters, numbers and punctuation. You should not use the one strong password you have across multiple websites and accounts. If a hacker manages to get into one, they’ll manage to get into them all!
2. To help you remember a random series of letters and numbers, try to use a sentence you’ll remember – take the first letter or number from the start of each word to form your password. For example ‘You should eat 5 pieces of fruit – every day’ would be ‘Yse5pof-ed’.
3. You can also try using a word which you may usually choose for a password, but try substituting some letters for numbers e.g. ‘P1n3app13!’ instead of ‘Pineapple!’.
4. Alternatively, try using a password manager such as 1Password to generate random strong passwords and keep a safe record of them.
5. Finally, to make sure your account is as safe as possible, you can choose to have a two-step verification process through many accounts, which requires you to not only give the correct password, but also enter a code sent to your mobile or use an app to complete a final step.
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