10 Tips for Strong Passwords

A strong password and good cybersecurity habits are essential for protecting your accounts. Here are 10 tips to protect yourself:

1. The longer, the better — A passphrase is even better than a password because length makes it harder to crack. Try turning a memorable phrase into a secure password or use an entire phrase that only you would know.
2. Mix it up — Make sure it includes a mix of letters, upper and lowercase, numbers, and symbols — even spaces.
3. Know what to avoid — Avoid dictionary words, pets or children’s names, hobbies, or trivial combinations of words and numbers. Hackers can crack a password like Summer2022 or $ummer2022 in less than one second, or might peep your social media accounts for insight into names or interests.
4. Never reuse a password on multiple sites — If a hacker cracks one password, they will try it on multiple sites. Check out a password manager to keep track of all your different passwords.
5. If your password is stolen, change it and tell us right away.
6. Look for the lock! A lock icon before the URL indicates the webpage you are visiting is secure.
7. Always update — New cybersecurity threats are constantly being introduced, and software updates contain important security measures. Keep your computer up to date and run updated malware protection (aka antivirus software).
8. Avoid public WiFi for Online Banking — Hackers can create rogue access points on WiFi networks to monitor activity, and can even create their own network that looks like a legitimate one. Use your private, secured WiFi or cellular data instead.
9. Don’t share — Never share your password or security codes with anyone.
10. Use multi-factor authentication — Layer your security by enabling multi-factor authentication, which will require an additional step (like texting you a special code) to access your account.