HomeSecurityWhat mistakes do you make with passwords?

What mistakes do you make with passwords?

Most of us have accounts on various online services and social media. This means that we have to use different usernames and passwords every day. Probably, a fixed password for all services would help us to quickly log in to each account, without the risk of forgetting it, but this is not secure at all.

passwords mistakes

Let's see what other password habits could be putting security : your at risk

Using personal information in passwords

To remember your password, you might fall into the trap of using some personal information, such as names, birthdays, etc. However, this is one of the worst things you can do. A lot of this “personal” information isn’t that personal. It wouldn’t be hard for someone who wants to hack into account to find your birthday, middle name, child’s name, or pet’s name. This even goes for famous people’s names. Any password that is an actual word, name, or anything else in the world is easier to crack with software.

See also: Thousands of admin portals use “admin” as a password

Using series of letters or numbers on the keyboard

Even seemingly “random” sequences of letters or numbers (letters, numbers, and symbols that are next to each other on a keyboard) can be easily detected. So-called “Keyboard Walking” is a very common form of password generation.

Using the same passwords on all accounts

Using the same password on different accounts is a very dangerous habit. If someone cracks your password on one account, they will try the same password on other accounts as well. Therefore, by using the same password, you make it very easy for a hacker to get into all your accounts with minimal effort.

Insecure password storage

In addition to creating a strong password (random letters, symbols, and numbers), storing the password.

What you shouldn't do is put them in a spreadsheet, email them to yourself, or keep them in a text file . If someone gets into these "secure" storage spaces, they'll essentially have access to all of your accounts.

See also: WhatsApp: Find locked conversations with a secret code

passwords

Skip multi-factor authentication

More and more services are supporting various forms of multi-factor authentication. A simple combination of username and password is the first line of defense. Adding an extra layer of security by using an extra password is essential to strengthening the security of your accounts.

You are not using a Password Generator or Manager

There are two things you may not be using that can drastically improve your passwords. The first is a password generator, a tool that creates passwords. These passwords are much more secure than anything you can think of.

And since you won't be able to remember these passwords, you can use the second useful tool: a password manager to track and manage your passwords.

You never change your passwords

Using weak passwords is bad enough, but using them for years is even worse. Changing your passwords regularly is essential. If a website tells you that there has been a breach data, you should definitely take the time to change your password. You can also use “Have I Been Pwned?” to see if your information has been leaked.

See also: Proton Pass: Now you can share passwords securely

What mistakes do you make with passwords?

Using passwords instead of passkeys

The thing about passwords is that most of the problems are caused by the people who create them. Many services now support passkeys. Passkeys allow users to access websites and services without typing usernames and passwords .While it can use biometric authentication to verify a user’s identity, this method isn’t exactly the same as current login technology that automatically fills in login boxes using facial recognition or fingerprints. The technology creates a pair of cryptographic keys (one public and one private) that are associated with a user’s account. Apps and services that support passkeys use the public key to verify a person’s identity by matching it with the private key, which is stored on the user’s device.

Source: www.howtogeek.com

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Digital Fortress
Digital Fortresshttps://www.secnews.gr/politiki-syntaxis/
Member of the SecNews Editorial Team. Covers software vulnerabilities, data breaches, cyberattacks and technology developments. All articles follow the SecNews Editorial Policy.

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