Best practice for passwords

Think of a password like a secret code that only you know. It’s like the key to your house, but for your computer or online accounts. Just like you wouldn’t want someone else to have your house key, you don’t want anyone else to know your password.

When picking a password, consider these best practices to help safeguard your online accounts:

Length is important

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) recommends that your password should be at least 8 characters long. But longer is better! A password like “ILoveToReadBooks” is much stronger than a short one like “Book7”.

Complexity can help

Using a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols can make your password harder to guess. So, “ILoveToReadBooks!” is even stronger than “ILoveToReadBooks”.

Be unique

Don’t use common words or phrases like “password” or “123456”. Also, avoid using personal information like your name, birthday, or pet’s name. These can be easy for hackers to guess.

Safeguard your password

Keep your password a secret. Don’t share it with anyone, and don’t write it down where others can find it. If you think someone else knows your password, change it right away.

Use a password manager

If you have trouble remembering all your passwords, consider using a password manager. This is a tool that stores all your passwords in one secure place, so you only have to remember one master password.

Remember, creating strong passwords is one of the best ways to protect your online accounts. So take the time to make your passwords long, unique, and hard to guess!