The longer the password, the more secure it is. The standard 8 characters should only be your starting point, consider making them at least 12 characters long.
Never use default passwords, any of the following, or any password resembling the following:
- 12345678
- 11111111
- 123123
- ABC123
- Password
- Password1
- MyPass
- Qwerty
A few more tips:
- Never re-use old passwords
- Pick a unique password for every account
- Never use personal information (such as family names or birthdays)
- Never use your pet’s name
- Avoid using common words or sayings
- Don’t use the name of your favorite sports team or actor/actress
- Never share your passwords
Here’s an idea:
Pick your favorite line from your favorite song and use the first letter of each word in the line followed by a set of random numbers along with a special character. For example the line, “Help! I need somebody. Help! Not just anybody. Help!” Would be: HInsHnjaH158995!
That password is 16 characters long, contains both uppercase and lowercase, numbers, and a special character. Perfect for any account, easy for you to remember, and is very difficult for a hacker to try to figure out.
If you believe that you were hacked, always start by changing your password! Need help? Contact TeCHS
Click the image below to download this password information as a handy reference flyer (PDF).
