ESET: Tips for creating strong passwords

ESET: The dangers that lurk in the virtual world of the internet are often not perceived by some users, who grew up in an era when there was no Internet and social networks, unlike the new generations who are growing up in the digital age and are more suspicious.

Wanting to help unsuspecting users, Ondrej Kubovic, IT Security Specialist at ESET, offers some basic rules for secure passwords.  

Let's see what ESET recommends:

1. Create a unique password for each account and do not share it with anyone.
2. The rule of thumb is – the longer the password, the more secure it is. Start with at least 8 characters, but make it longer if it’s used to protect valuable data or accounts. If you have trouble remembering a complex password, you can also choose a passphrase or use a password manager (discussed below)
3. Avoid common words, names, dates, numbers or obvious choices, such as 12345678, password or qwerty.
4. Add a digital part, such as numbers and special characters (@, #, !, etc.), or use them by replacing some of the letters in your password.
5. If you choose to replace, try not to use common "misspellings", such as replacing "a" with "@" or "i" with "1" or "!".
6. Change passwords regularly. Again, the more important the data being protected, the sooner the passwords should be changed.
7. One of the most important rules is not to reuse the same password on other accounts. That way, if it's stolen, only one account is at risk, and it's worth pointing out even if we're repeating ourselves.

In theory it may sound simple enough, but the reality is more complex.

According to ESET, multiple studies have shown that the average user has dozens of passwords for an even larger number of accounts, making them difficult to manage. However, there are strategies to stay safe while making the process easier.

The first thing that can help is passphrases, which, although longer than passwords, are easier to remember.

Another way is to use a reliable password manager, which stores all passwords in one place, and all the user needs to remember is one of them, the one that will allow them to unlock the application.