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Posted on: November 28, 2022
We’re all doing so much online these days. There’s online banking, online shopping, online gaming and of course, different social media platforms to keep track of!
All these different websites and apps need passwords to get into them. While it may be tempting to use the same login details for each one of them to save time, this could cause issues in the long run.
Join us as we look at why different passwords are so important, and how you can remember them all.
Imagine you had the same key for your home and car. While it may make things a little more convenient, it means that if someone steals your key, they’d be able to access both your house and your vehicle.
The same premise applies to passwords. If you use the same one for all your websites and apps, a cybercriminal could potentially access all your accounts if they get hold of just one of your passwords.
According to Google, over half of people reuse the same password for multiple accounts, while one in ten uses the same password for everything.
If you’re reading this and nodding, it’s time to do a password audit. Pour yourself a big cup of coffee (or a glass of wine!) and look at all the different accounts you have and the passwords you use. If any of them are the same, it’s time to change them.
The average person has around 100 passwords. This figure increased by 25% in the pandemic as people signed up for new online services to keep them entertained and productive during lockdown.
If you’re panicking at the prospect of having to remember 100 unique passwords, don’t worry. Here are some of our top tips for remembering which login is for what.
Here’s a top tip for creating high-quality, uncrackable passwords. When creating or renewing your passwords, think of a memorable sentence, and use the first letter of each. That way, you get a password that the cybercriminals can’t guess, but means something to you.
For example, say your sentence is: ‘I went to Hillstreet secondary school when I was 12, and my favourite subject was French.
Your password would be: ‘IwtHsswIw12amfswF’.
How often have we created an account for something we’ve only used once? If you have lots of online accounts that you no longer use, consider shutting them down.
Not only does this mean fewer passwords to remember, but by removing your personal data, you’re keeping yourself a little bit safer from any potential data breaches.
This is when you have one strong password, which you create variations of on different websites. That way, you’re using a password you’re familiar with, but is different enough to stop hackers in their tracks.
For example, let’s say your core password is ‘2B!hP9@c’. If you’re creating a new password for Just Eat, you could add a ‘Je’ at the end – so ‘2B!hP9@cJe’.
In an age of internet browsers, websites and uploads, sometimes it’s perfectly okay to use a notepad and pen.
If you feel comfortable writing your passwords down in a book, then we say more power to you. Just make sure to keep your book in a secure place where you (and only you) can easily access it.
Our top tip – don’t make it obvious that your book contains passwords – the internet password minder book went down like a lead balloon on The Ellen Show!
Sometimes you need to work smarter, not harder. A password manager is a service that remembers all your passwords for you – all you need is one secure password to access it.
Many different password managers are available, and the good news is that most are free or low-cost. We like MYKI and Dashlane. Google Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge and Safari all have built-in password managers too.
There’s a lot you need to do if you want to stay safe online. The good news is that by choosing the right broadband, you can sit back, relax and take the pressure off.
Full fibre broadband is a lot more secure than traditional copper broadband as the signal it emits is harder for scammers to intercept. Not only that, but as it’s quicker, you know your security software is up to date and keeping you protected.
Find out how faster your internet connection could be today with our free speed test.
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