Passwords – Then and Now
In the ‘good’ old days before the internet became our backyard, ‘passwords’ applied to secret dens at the bottom of the garden. Password advice was only given out to those granted secret access to these dens as part of the gang.
Of course, not all passwords in those days related to childhood games, but the point remains, they were not a massive part of everyday life. You certainly didn’t need them to make a phone call because phones then were used for calling people. Computers were around, but cybersecurity was still relatively unknown and password advice a thing of the future.
fast forward to the use of passwords today
Today, you need a password to log onto your phone, passwords for every app and more passwords to make changes on the said apps. The simple task of accessing your bank account or paying your electricity bill can also require multiple passwords.
Popular advice states, ‘don’t write a password down.’ However, when you consider the veritable bible of passwords required to access your various online accounts and data, the thought of storing them all in your head can be rather daunting and near impossible.
Which brings us to our next point, the cardinal sin of using the same password for multiple accounts. Hackers love this attitude, guess one, and you guess them all. This being the case, it makes sense to create random passwords with words that are not easy to crack, differ for each account or log-in, and are easy to recall but near impossible for a would-be hacker to guess.
Sound like the unicorn of passwords? Well, using three random little words is actually easier than you think!
why three random words?
Memorising complex combinations of letters and words isn’t one of our strong points as humans. Instead, our memory recall relies on predictable patterns and numberings to file them away safely in our brains for future use. If the combination is too complex, we forget and so resort to the ease of using the same password repeatedly.
The concept of using three random words as a password is simple. Pick a phrase or combination of three words and use this as your password rather than using a single word followed by a predictable exclamation mark or hashtag sign. This approach keeps hackers guessing and makes you less vulnerable to pesky cyber criminals.
why random words make sense
- Longer passwords make it near impossible for hackers to bypass your security.
- The words contain information essential only to you and are relevant to the site or app.
- Multiple words increase the range of possible passwords for hackers to consider.
- They are easier to enter than complex passwords with numbers and special characters.
If you are required to include numbers and symbols to the password, add them at the beginning and end of your random words. For example, you could use 3GreenHealthyApples#! as your password for a health app.
our parting words on the best password advice
Keeping up with the best password advice is essential if you don’t want to fall victim to opportunistic criminals. Use the tips and advice above to ensure that you’re always one step ahead and that your data and devices are always safe. Oh, and find a password manager that works for you, not the hackers…
Got some password tips and advice of your own to share? Let us know in the comments and let’s share our tips!