Passwords, Passwords, Passwords!!!

Never before has so much information been so accessible to so many people electronically. Welcome to “The internet”. In many ways the “Information Age” is a wonderful time to be alive. But as is often the case, there is a dark side. The same technology that makes it really easy to store, search and view all of this information also makes it possible for others to get hold of personal information. When it comes to using computers and the Internet, we are challenged to create a plethora of user names and passwords to protect our information. But how do you make up a username and password that will be easy for you to remember but impossible for anyone else to figure out? Here's some advice…

First of all, there are good passwords and bad passwords? An example of a bad password is any word that is in the dictionary or a name. If someone wanted to “crack” your password using computer software they would probably start with lists of common passwords like that. So don't make it easy for them. For the dedicated “password cracker” there are actually huge lists of common passwords available online. Also, when you hear on the news that the accounts of the XYZ Company or the ABC Website have been hacked, those passwords can end up on websites where other hackers can access them.

So what makes for a good password? Here are some basic suggestions:
DOs:

1. Avoid common names, dates, phone numbers or things easily associated with you.
2. Avoid common words or phrases as they would be the first thing checked by password cracking software.
3. Use a combination of numbers and letters. For example, substitute numbers for letters and letters for numbers in a word or phrase. “H!Th3r3!”
4. Make it something you can remember all by yourself. Think of a sequence or acronym.
5. Try to make it at least 8 – 16 characters long. Obviously the longer the better. Cracking gets exponentially harder with each additional character.
6. Plan on changing your password often. Experts suggest changing your passwords at least every 6 months. Your employer may require it more often.

DON'Ts:

1. Don't use naturally occurring keyboard sequences like “qwerty” or adjacent combinations.
2. Never share your password! Protect them like you do your SSN. With either one, anyone can pose as you.
3. Don't write it down anywhere! That's just a given. Once again, don't make it easy.
4. Avoid using the same password for multiple sites or applications. Cracked once and they have everything.
5. Avoid saving passwords. What's convenient for you is convenient for a hacker.

Whether it's about protecting the money in your bank account, restricting access to your email, or protecting employer information, you'll need to have good usernames and passwords to protect yourself. Choose wisely.

Author Info: Beatitudes Campus

At the foundation of Beatitudes Campus is the vision of Church of the Beatitudes pastors and congregation members to create a better alternative for older adults than the nursing homes of the early 1960s. The type of community they imagined was the first of its kind in Arizona. Beatitudes Campus is proud to continue the legacy of our founders, by being a leader in the field of aging services for over 50 years.