Digital hackers are getting more and more sneaky, making strong passwords increasingly important. However, it’s not the power of hackers, alone, that is making it easy to log into your accounts and devices. Most of us are ignoring the secure password rules.
In fact, 53% of people say that they use the same password for multiple accounts. It may be easier for you to remember a single password for everything, but it also makes you much more vulnerable to hacks and cyber attacks.
If you’re not sure how to create a password that will stump even the most talented hacker, you’ve come to the right place.
Read on to find out more about how you can increase your password security and protect your Mac (and other devices or accounts). Further do you know Apple iPhone devices have some hidden features and you must be know about the iPhone secret codes that can help you to operate your iPhone device easily.
How Secure Is My Password?
Let’s say that you fall into the majority who rely on the same password for just about everything. A good starting point, here, is to make sure that your passwords haven’t been uncovered by hackers.
If you use your Safari password saving option, you’re in luck. Safari will regularly check your passwords to make sure that they are not compromised. You will get an alert on your Mac or in your email inbox warning you if your accounts have been breached.
(If you don’t use Safari, don’t sweat it. Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome perform similar functions. Remember, this will only work for passwords that these browsers have saved.)
What Tactics Do Hackers Use to Decode Your Passwords?
Understanding how hackers decode your passwords can help you learn Fhow to create passwords that are safe and secure. Further, you can also safe and secure website passwords. Methods include:
- Brute force attack: hackers generate software that can guess millions of combinations of words, letters, and symbols in a short period of time; this method is usually limited to a number of characters
- Dictionary attack: hackers run through a long list of words (like you’d find in a dictionary) in search of words you may be using to lock your devices and accounts
- Phishing: hackers use a variety of methods (ie trickery or intimidation) to get users to volunteer sensitive information, including banking information, social security numbers, and passwords.
Furthermore, do you some peoples don’t know how to check iPhone warranty Before buying a new used iPhone. So they buy a much expensive iPhone in low condition.
Because these methods are varied (and a little intense), creating a secure password may feel like a lost cause. The good news? There are steps you can take to create a secure password that even software can’t crack.
(Note that when it comes to phishing, internet users simply need to remain vigilant. Never respond to suspicious emails asking for sensitive information. If you’re not sure if an email is real, call the platform or service that supposedly asked for your information.)
What Elements Do You Need to Create a Secure Password?
So, what can you do to create a secure password? First thing’s first: keep track of the passwords you use. Use a password manager (or write down your different passwords) so that you’re less likely to rely on the same password for everything.
Now, let’s take a closer look at the elements of a strong password–and what to avoid.
Go Long
The brute force attack may seem unstoppable, but remember, it has its limitations. Most of that software can only decode passwords of a specified length, ie 8-12 characters.
You’ve probably noticed that most websites require a password that is at least 8 characters long. Nowadays, we recommend going even longer. It may seem excessive, but your password should be at least 12-16 characters long.
Mix Up Your Numbers and Symbols
You’ve probably also noticed that most websites require passwords with at least one uppercase letter, one symbol, and one number. The more randomized this pattern is, the more secure your password is.
That being said, you don’t want to rely on numbers and symbols that are easy to guess. For example, it’s not recommended that you use your birthdate in your passwords. It also doesn’t create enough password security to use the same combination of letters followed by a different number or symbol, ie “Ilovemacs1” and “Ilovemacs2” and “Ilovemacs!”
Another way to increase password security is to mix up a strange combination of words. A single word, like “Macintosh,” may come up in a dictionary attack. A strange combination, like “MacintoshBowlerPineappleDirt,” will not!
The more unique each of your passwords is, the better.
Avoid Obvious Substitutions and Keyboard Paths
Perhaps one of the worst things you can do for your password security is to rely on obvious substitutions or keyboard paths. What do we mean by this? Let’s take a look at some examples of easy-to-hack passwords:
- password123
- p@$$w0rd
- qwerty
- abc123
When you use a common, obvious password, you might as well not have a password in place at all!
Make Sure You Understand How to Set and Use Your Mac Password
Feeling like your Mac password isn’t strong enough? We’re here to help you change it.
Head to your Apple menu on your Mac computer and navigate to System Preferences. From there, select Users & Groups.
This will open the option to Change Password. In order to do so, you will need to enter your old password, as well.
Now, make sure that your lock screen is activated in a way that works for you. Learn how to make changes to your lock preferences at https://setapp.com/how-to/lock-your-mac-screen.
Increase Your Password Security Across Platforms
We tend to underestimate the importance of creating a secure password for all of our devices and accounts. At the end of the day, our convenience isn’t as important as protecting our security! Follow this guide to revamp your passwords today.
Looking for more ways to improve your use of technology? Take a look at our tech section to find out about the latest devices, how to navigate different websites, and more.
