Let’s set-up a strong password

According to the Cambridge dictionary definition, a password is a secret word or combination of letters or numbers, used for communicating with another person or with a computer to prove who you are. Passwords should be unique and strong enough that no other person can guess yours easily. Have you shared your passwords with anyone? If your answer is yes then please get up and change it right now. Don’t share it. What is the first thing you get when you hear a password? I hope it is “SECRET”, then when you know that passwords are meant to be secret then why to share and not maintain its secrecy. My next question here is, “Have you written your passwords and pins in some paper or your diaries?” If yes then please get up and just ruin that paper right away. Do you know what might happen if someone got your passwords and if they get access to your social sites or if they crack your system. Do you have problems remembering passwords and logging in again and again like me? If yes then please use your password manager which is a built-in feature in today’s devices. You might have a question like it’s just a password but no it’s “ THE PASSWORD”, it’s everything. Now you tell me, while going out when you lock the door of your home, where do you keep your keys? Surely you take them with you right so why to share your password they are they keys and pins to your system. In this era where everything is digital, how can someone be so irresponsible and careless about passwords and pins of their devices. In this article, we will talk about why passwords are important, how to create strong passwords and many more. Let’s dive…

You just sit and think what could someone do if they get your passwords. Now are you scared about your financial data? Are you also not scared about your personal information? Are you not being scared of getting blackmailed? Are you not aware about the news that are popping up these days about how the data leak results in commiting suicides? Did I make you think deeply about the importance of keeping passwords secret? If yes then don’t think twice just create a strong one and stay protected from digital crimes. Passwords protect your personal data from being misused. Here comes the thing that only having a password is not how you can save your data, strong and unique password matters. Passwords should be strong enough to be breakable. First let me list down what are known as weak passwords which are more vulnerable: 

1. Your name
2. Your date of birth 
3. Any dates and names related to your family
4. Your favorite lists
5. Using common numbers and common names like “password”, “123456789”
6.  Your address 
7. Your mobile numbers

These are something that are to be avoided while creating a password. If you have any of these, I recommend changing them right now. 

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Now you might wonder what to keep as a password. Don’t be in delusion, I will help you. 

Here are some suggestion that i would like you to take care while you’re resting your passwords:

1. Use of numbers, special characters, uppercase, and lower cases. (e.g.mnb!@#678PYt)

If you think that is difficult to remember, then you can first make a sentence like: “ I love playing with my pets in my free time” and make it as (IlpwmpimyfT@123). This prevents other people from guessing your password easily. 

2. I recommend keeping the password of at least 8 letters, making it a bit complex to guess for other people.
3. Make the habit of using Two-Factor Authentication system(2FA) which will help add an extra layer of protection just beyond the passwords. Different types of 2FA could be SMS(OTPs), Biometric verifications, Authenticator apps. Try using them. 

You should make sure that you keep changing your password every 3-6 months. And please avoid repeating your same old passwords again and again. Know the difference between strong passwords and weak passwords and keep your password strong and secret. 

Now let me help you know why I recommend you to create a strong one. There are various types of attacks like Brute Force attacks, Dictionary attacks, Phishing attacks and Social engineering, where attackers can try different methods to get access to your system. 

Brute force attack: According to Fortinet, Bruteforce attack is the hacking method that uses trial and error to crack passwords, login credentials, and encryption keys. This is the risk for us where attackers can continuously try to hit your system by guessing the random passwords that they think you might have kept.  So the password should be strong enough that no one can unlock yours within random attempts. 

Social Engineering: It is the human technique of manipulating you by the means of conversation or interaction to get your personal details. You should be very careful with what you are talking about and with whom you are talking to. 

So to have that first layer of protection, a strong password is a must. Keep on updating your passwords on a regular basis and avoid password sharing. And if you are keeping your passwords in a file then i suggest using a secured and encrypted file system. And if you are  working people in any organization and you need to share passwords to your co-workers or superiors then use secured paths. So that no middle person can interrupt and temper/modify your credentials. 

While reading you might also think that now we have a strong password, then why do we need to change the password periodically. That’s also a point but updating your passwords within a certain duration is for your own good.  Over time, even the strongest passwords can become vulnerable due to many factors which include data breaches, evolving hacking techniques, and also other unintentional exposure. Are you also one of them who has the same password for your multiple accounts? If yes then it’s not applicable. Your one mistake and everything goes out of your hand so be aware of the type of accounts with its sensitivity. Password updating is important as it helps maintain compliance with security standards like ISO27001, HIPAA, or GDPR.  As computational power is daily increasing, the time required to crack complex passwords decreases. Regularly changing passwords can help stay ahead of these attacks. The importance of this practice plays a great role in reducing the risk of unauthorized access and potential data breaches. 

For Organizational security

If you are working in any organization these are to be strictly followed: 

1. Don’t write the password and sensitive information in any sticky notes like paper and leave it on your desk.
2. While going out of your workplace don’t leave your computer on, or at least lock your system. (windows+L)
3. Don’t overshare your information with your colleagues.
4. If you are sharing something with your co-workers then use secured and encrypted paths to be safe and feel protected. 
5. Avoid passwords like admin, adminadmin, name of the departments, and other weak passwords. 
6. Password management tools can be used in case you have a problem with remembering the password of your multiple accounts. 
7. For any organization, having a good password policy is mandatory. 

I hope within this reading, you get to know the importance of password and how to create strong passwords avoiding the weak ones. You might also know about what an attacker can do if s/he gets your password and access to your system. Nowadays, in this age, people exchange the passwords of their social media, their bank accounts, online shopping apps, and many more which is not good from the security point of view. Your privacy is in your hands, if you want to be secure then don’t share your password. One tip that I would like to suggest to you here at this point is that please log yourself out from your account once you are done using this. This will help prevent misuse of your account as soon as people get your device, it will require your password to login.  Creating a strong password is for internet safety. Even Though today mostly all websites are secured, there is always a chance that hackers can get into it. That’s why we should be prepared enough from our side. You can use a password generator to create all of your passwords. Those passwords generated by the password generator are not easy to remember but you can also use password manager to keep track of them but don’t share pins of the tools. This results to be the best example for good passwords. They are long, strong and difficult for someone to guess and find. This generated password uses more than 10 characters with uppercase, lowercases, numbers, symbols and no other common words that could easily be exploited. They are complicated, making it a very strong password to keep your accounts very safe from root level. 

How familiar are you with the term “Biometric”, biometrics are used as they are super convenient and easy to use. Biometric authentication refers to the process of verifying an individual’s identity based on their unique physiological characteristics. That may include their fingerprint detection, face detection, iris scanner or voice recognition. This biometrics authentication is gaining popularity  because of its convenience, and the difficulty in replicating biometric quality which make it a better option for securing digital identities and access to sensitive information. For the purpose of maximizing security, nowadays biometrics are used by many systems as a part of  Multi-factor authentication(MFA) strategy which combines something you know(password, pins) with something you are(biometric) or something you have(your identities like smartcards, access badges, smartphones(OTP(one-time password))). In MFA, combining these three factors can enhance your security level for your devices/systems or accounts. Attackers must need to bypass multiple layers of security each of which requires different resources and methods to exploit. Thus providing optimum level of security. Are you already using and applying it to your daily accounts and system? If not then have you thought of applying it as a part of security? Probably, the answer is yes all of you are going to add this additional layer of security as all of us are very concerned about our data safety. Be smart when it comes to security. 

The way you follow the safety rules and signs while driving, you do have to follow the safety rule while browsing and using the internet and devices. First learn to be secure digitally and help other people to be secure as everyone needs to know about the safety and its importance in this digital world. With every new advancement, there comes flaws and threats to you. So you should be aware and protected enough from your side to stand out from the mess. This age, also known as the digital age where everything is generated from data, data is vital, their protection is everyone’s responsibility. Data comes in various forms like text, numbers, pictures, or videos. All of these forms are sensitive as they all hold significant value. Now think what can happen if someone else gets your data, what will it result? Scared? So whose responsibility is this to protect your data from being misused? Obviously, our own right? So what are you waiting for? Get up and give your data that extra layer of protection. Within this article I think you all are aware about the importance of keeping passwords into your devices and also about how important it is to add that MFA with your password. Hope this helps to set up a strong password for your device. Lastly, what i would like you to understand is that passwords are not made to share, the purpose of password is to have a secured lock into your device so please keep your passwords within you. Your privacy is your responsibility. So “ Stay aware, Stay alert”.