Is your password predictable? We recommend you go change it right now if it’s as simple as “123456” or “password.” Believe it or not, “123456” is at the top of the list of the 25 most common passwords. This makes a hacker’s job easy when trying to access to your personal information and files, but we have some tips to help you bolster your security.

Before we list tips for setting a strong password, we want to review the importance of passwords. They’re used to protect you so other people, including hackers, do not have easy access to confidential information. Some people don’t want to create a password that will be difficult to for them to remember while others know that even if they write it down, they’ll misplace the paper they wrote it on. If you’re a business owner, you need to be even more careful with setting your passwords because your clients’ information can also be at risk.

Regardless of your reasons for setting an easy password, they’re designed to protect you. Here’s what you can do:

1. Create a unique password using a combination of case sensitive letters as well as special characters. Most websites now require at least one lowercase letter, one uppercase, and a special character.

2. Mix it up. Use letters, numbers, and special characters out of order. Don’t try to spell out a word or make it personal to maximize your security.

3. Steer clear of common words like “password” or “google.”

4. Take as many safety measures as necessary. Some websites like Google or Facebook offer two-step verification to enhance your account’s security. This usually means you’ll need to answer a security question or type in a code that will be sent to your mobile device before you can fully access your account.

5. Use 12 or more characters or even phrases. Longer passwords may be difficult to remember, but they’re worth the additional security.

6. Complex is a good thing. If your desire to choose an easy password prevails when prompted to create one, try to make it as complex as you can. When choosing an easy word like “football” you don’t want to simply change some letters into symbols as such: “f00tball.” Add some numbers or special characters as mentioned above to strengthen it.

7. Change your password every 3 months. Though complexity is key, you should also strive to reset your password to be safe. Will it take some time to reset them and update them in your password sheet? Yes, but it’s better to be safe than sorry, especially when it comes to your business and protecting your clients’ information.

8. Store your password sheet somewhere safe and don’t title it something obvious. It may not be wise to leave notes around your computer where other people can easily find them, or title your password document “LOGINS AND PASSWORDS.” There are also online platforms that can store your login credentials, but make sure you store your login information for those sites somewhere extra safe!

All of your passwords are important and you should treat them equally, whether it’s a password for your bank account or movie streaming account. Your accounts hold personal information about you that hackers can gather to hurt you and your business.

Get in touch with our IT experts at Oasis Technology to receive complete IT support at a low cost. We can also help you determine if TITAN is right for your business to prevent hackers from getting past your firewall and gaining access to your business’s confidential information.