While it’s easy to remember, 123456 is not an effective password. In SplashData’s fourth annual list of the most popular passwords of 2015, the top four were variations of the numerals one through nine. Number two on this list was “password.” Even if you are more creative with your passwords, you may not be doing enough to protect your business, your personal information, or your customers from cyber hackers.
What not to do
According to Federal Trade Commission (FTC), cyber criminals use sophisticated decryption tools that can easily figure out frequently used words or passwords that involve personal information. With that in mind, avoid using:
- Dictionary words — in any language.
- Words spelled backwards, common misspellings or slang, and abbreviations.
- Sequences of repeated characters such as 123 or ABC.
- Personal information such as your name, birthday, driver’s license, etc.
What to do
The FTC recommends that all passwords be at least eight characters and contain a combination of four different types of characters.
- UPPERCASE LETTERS
- lowercase letters
- Numbers
- Special characters (!$%^&)
Although eight characters is the minimum, the more, the safer. The same goes for the mix of characters. For each of your logins, use different passwords following these guidelines.
The more complex the password, the harder it is to remember, right? This simple memory-jogging trick can help you create and remember the strongest password to confound would-be hackers.
For more information
Call Pardridge Insurance at 815-758-4447 (your Grinnell Mutual agent) to learn more about data breach coverage and protection tips for your business.