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The annual
National E-security Awareness Week aims to
raise awareness about the importance of
e-security among Australians.
One of the
major tips being promoted through the week
is better, stronger passwords. Below are
some tips on creating a more secure password
for you.
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Do not
use personal information. You should
never use personal information as a part
of your password. It is very easy for
someone to guess things like your last
name, pet's name, child's birth date and
other similar details.
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Do not
use real words. There are tools
available to help attackers guess your
password. With today's computing power,
it doesn't take long to try every word
in the dictionary and find your
password.
-
Mix
different character types. You can
make a password much more secure by
mixing different types of characters.
Use some uppercase letters along with
lowercase letters, numbers and even
special characters such as '&' or '%'.
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Use
different password. You should use a
different username and password for each
login or application you are trying to
protect.
-
Change
you password. You should change your
password at least every 30 to 60 days.
You should also not re-use a password
for at least a year
-
Make it
lengthy. Each character that you add
to your password increases the
protection that it provides many times
over. Your password should be 8 or more
characters in length; 14 characters or
longer are ideal.
Use the
Microsoft Password Checker to check your
password strength.
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