As we
enter the new year, we must be aware that not a single person is completely invincible
when it comes to cyber-attacks. One of the most common ways cyber criminals can
unlock your personal information is through your password. Is your password
safe? Is your password easy for criminals to crack in less than a second? In
order to not become a victim of a cyberattack, here are a few steps you can
take to keep your information safe in 2022.
- Look into investing in a password manager. LastPass and Dash lane
are two of many apps that keep your passwords safe. They offer a free as well
as a paid version. These apps safely stores your passwords online and can be supported on multiple platform. According to LastPass, employees reuse a password on average
of 13 times.
- When creating a password we suggest a using a passphrase (a few
random words for your password) This is the best way to create a password
that is memorable yet strong enough to not easily hack.
- Another
method of creating a password is to take a sentence and turn it into a
password. First, select a sentence that you will remember, then assign
each word a series of characters to help you remember it.
Here are a few examples
·
May the force be with you! = M@ytef0c3Bw1hU!
·
With great power, comes great responsibility =
Whgr@p0rC0m3$G@tr3$p1Biy
·
Be Cougar secure! = b3Cg@rscU3!
- It is important to regularly change your passwords. The
longer you keep your passwords the same, the more likely it will be
exposed to hackers.
- Make sure you are using different passwords for every app and
online site. If a hacker is able to unlock one of your accounts by
unlocking your password, this means he/she will now be able to easily hack
your other accounts.
Remember, even the people with the
strongest passwords still remain possible victims of cybercrimes. Let 2022 be
the year we all focus more on our personal and professional cybersecurity and
safety.
Cougar Security Team
Jason Youngquist | John Johnson | Phillip Armstrong