Passwords are the last lines of defense between a hacker and your personal and corporate information.
1. What we use passwords for;
- Social media accounts (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp)
- Personal and corporate devices (e.g. laptops, cell phones)
- Email accounts (e.g. Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, URSB)
- Online banking accounts
- Other third-party accounts (e.g. Amazon, PayPal, YouTube)
2. How hackers can break our passwords
- Guessing common passwords: 123456, password, abc123, and qwerty are among the most-used passwords.
- Monitoring Wi-Fi traffic: hackers connected to public Wi-Fi connections may be able to observe all information inputted by others connected to the same Wi-Fi, including user names and passwords.
- Sending phishing emails: hackers could send millions of emails that ask the victim to input their email user name and password.
3. Creating Strong Passwords
- Write down a random common word
- Add a second, unrelated word
- Capitalize one or two of the letters in your password
- Insert numbers and special characters to break up words and syllables, then add new capital
For example:
apple
applepajamas
ApplePajamas
Apple6Paja9Mas%
Passwords are the last lines of defense between a hacker and your personal and corporate information.
4. Password Best Practices
- Create passwords with a [minimum length of 6 – 8 characters/complexity/ passphrase requirements as per URSB password policy]
- Avoid using common dictionary words or proper nouns
- Never share your passwords with anybody, even if you trust them
- Keep your passwords secret by storing them only in your head
- Change your passwords at least once every three months
- Avoid using same passwords for different accounts
Article by
Prisca Natuhwera
Senior Networks and Security Officer