If your password looks like “123456”, “Azerty”, “Password” or “Iloveyou” then prepare to change it. Your accounts are far from secure.
It is sometimes very easy for malicious people to discover a password, and when it happens, it is a direct entry on your personal data.
To avoid such a situation, it is essential to strengthen your password, and here is how to do it.
1. Create several secure passwords each time
Many of us use only one and the same password for all our accounts for the sake of memorization.
However, it is a practice to avoid because if someone were to discover your password he would have access without difficulty to all your data.
To avoid being pirated cascade favor a unique secure password for each account.
2. Use a secure password generator
Easy solution, the secure password generator will provide you with a succession of letters and random figures, difficult to remember, but also difficult to hack.
Dashlane is a recognized password generator that gives you the opportunity to choose the length of the latter. You can even choose to include letters, numbers and symbols.
Other generators exist such as that of the CNIL Or Roboform.
In addition to password generators, there are password managers that allow you to have only one password to memorize. The software then takes care of getting the corresponding password which is secure and unique.
3. Bet on the length of passwords
If you do not want to use a password generator but you prefer to create it yourself, bet on the length and variety of characters (tiny, capital letters, figures, special characters).
This means that you must insert more than 10 characters, 12 and 14 being good averages, 16 an ideal high value.
The longer your password will be, the more complicated it will be to guess and long to force for hackers.
4. Vary the characters for a secure password
Beyond the number of characters, their type is also important to have a secure password.
Ideally, your password must contain 4 different types of characters:
- Capper -up letters
- Small letters
- Figures
- Special characters
Do not hesitate to mix them well to obtain a random effect. Because precisely …
5. Prefer the random for a secure password
Your password should not have any particular meaning such as a date, a nickname, the name of your dog, a logical sequence of figures and letters, etc.
Opt for a random password, which does not mean anything. This strengthens the safety of passwords. Indeed, hackers often use pre -established lists of passwords which are often used. Many people use common names for their passwords. Long and random passwords are more difficult to find.
6. Change password regularly
For more security, it is recommended to change your password regularly, especially in business when they give Access to sensitive data.
If a person leaves your company or if you stop your collaboration with a service provider who has access to some of your accounts, quickly change your passwords if you use shared accounts.
7. Hold your passwords without writing them
Once your password has been created in order to be safe, you realize that it is difficult to remember. Especially since you have several if you have followed advice n ° 1.
Our reflex would be to note them in a notebook, in our smartphone, in a text file … It's a … very bad idea! Unless you want your passwords to be easily stolen …
So how to do it? You can use your memory or …
8. Use a password manager
A password manager Following in the form of a database in which you can securely save your identifiers and passwords. To access it, you will of course have to enter a password but it will ultimately be the only one to remember.
Keepass is a very serious password manager whose security has been assessed by the National Information Systems System Agency (Ansi).
Read also: 7 Good practices to secure your data and the uses of your employees
Bonus: Test your password
To find out if your password is effective enough, you can test it on How Secure is my password?
You will see how long a computer will take to hack your password and you will even get personalized advice to make it stronger.
Read too :: 10 tips for strengthening the security of your Prestashop store