Cyber security: How to protect your passwords from hackers

Social media accounts getting hacked is no longer a matter of surprise thanks to the growing connectivity of different platforms on the internet. But there are simple steps you can take to make it harder for hackers and reduce the risk of a cyberattack
 

First Published Dec 30, 2020, 2:18 PM IST

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Choose good passwords: We all have heard the arguments in favour of keeping a good password, but nobody seems to have an idea what an ideal password is.

A decade ago, a password like "4k8fg67” would have been considered a good password. But, with the kind of technology we have today, it’s a cake walk for hackers to crack such a pass key.

An ideal password has to be at least 12 characters long and should contain a combination of alpha-numeric characters. But here is a catch! If the password is carved out of your name, birth date, or any such personal details; it makes it very easy to crack.

If your Facebook and Twitter passwords are the same, BEWARE! If you have been using the same password across the internet, that is one of the craziest things you have ever done.

You might have chosen a complicated password which is very tough to crack, but that's not the only thing you need to take care of. The infamous LinkedIn hack in 2012 was an eye-opener for those who had kept the same password across the internet. Facebook supremo, Mark Zuckerberg was one of those.

If a hacker cracks one website you are signed up for, access to the rest of your pass keys gets that much easier for the sneaker. Use 'complex' passwords and a password manager to remember those.

For ultimate security, there is no alternative to using a complex password. However, it becomes challenging to remember so many passwords. That is when you need a password manager.

A password manager is a personal software assistant which stores all your passwords and can be unlocked only by you. However, the major drawback with this aid is that, if your master password is stolen, hackers will get access to all your passwords.

Therefore, it becomes a must to have a unique and strong master password and never to forget that one.