Don't make these mistakes when setting a password!

Ways to create safer passwords to secure your online journey

Of the 5 million passwords leaked in 2017,  "123456" and "password" topped the list for the fourth consecutive year, according to a report by password management application provider SplashData. The year also saw some big time data breaches, such as Yahoo's bombshell, WannaCry and BadRabbit ransomware attacks.

Passwords that have been compromised or leaked online over the years show a disturbing trend. Experts say hackers tend to use common terms from fashion, cars, culture and sports to break into accounts because people generally prefer easy-to-remember terms and words for passwords.

A recent PCMag survey showed that 19 per cent of internet users use their names or initials in their passwords. This is a common mistake. Other trends show many use their wedding date (16 per cent), name of their children or that of other family members (15 per cent), birth year (12 per cent), house address (12 per cent), or spouse's personal information, such as birthday (8 per cent).

According to SplashData, the key is using at least 12 characters with a combination of upper and lowercase letters, numbers and characters, besides having different passwords for every website you log on to.
A hacker takes less than 10 minutes to crack a lowercase password that has 6 alphabets. In comparison, if you add two more alphabets and a few uppercase letters, besides throwing in numbers and a few special characters, it would take them 44,530 years to crack it.

If you log into a password manager, the programme will automatically fill your username and password each time you visit a site.
Some password managers and generators store your encrypted login info on your hard drive. Some will upload your details to their own servers.
Some of the best password managers for 2018, as per Techradar magazine, are:
LastPass
Dashlane
RoboForm
KeePass Password Safe
Sticky Password

• Avoid using personal information in passwords because they can easily be identified. Names, birthdays, anniversary dates should be avoided.
• You can adopt two-factor authentication, wherever possible. A one-time password can help you in generating new options to keep your account safe.
• Fingerprint scanning is also available on most of today's smartphones and laptops. Adding a fingerprint ID requirement to your logins is a convenient and powerful protection method.
• Using and updating anti-virus software can help you regularly scan your computer for spyware.
• Check for suspicious activity on your accounts and never click on a link that looks untrustworthy.