If you’re like most of us, you probably use the same password for all your online accounts: banking, shopping, Netflix -- everything.
While reusing the same password definitely makes it easy to remember, it also opens you up to safety breaches and in some cases, identity theft.
Moreover, it’s not just about making passwords unique to accounts -- it’s also about creating a password that no one will be able to crack.
Social media puts our private information in an easy-to-access public platform, so identity thieves can easily access your info and guess your passwords.
Common Mistakes:
- Using “password” for your password,
- Using a birthday, address or sequence of numbers; e.g.,“1234”
- Using a family name, kid’s name or celebrity name.
Experts recommend devising a system for all your passwords, like in the infographic below:
Once you’ve come up with your passwords, be sure to store them safely. Purchase an external flash drive to store all passwords -- don’t store them on your computer!
Source: Trusted Choice, How to Choose a Good Password
Photo credit:Trusted Choice, "Create Strong Passwords" Infographic | DeclanTM, Laptops Back!