Passwords are ingrained in our everyday lives, making it more important than ever to protect them. On this Fraud Friday, we’re sharing simple strategies to help you craft strong passwords, maintain them securely, and take quick action if your password is compromised.
Crafting Strong Passwords
A strong password can make all the difference in keeping your accounts safe. Keep these things in mind when creating passwords:
- Make it long and unique: Use at least 12 characters, mixing uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and special symbols.
- Avoid common phrases: Skip birthdays, pet names, or children’s names — hackers can guess these easily.
- Use passphrases: Create a memorable sentence and use its initials or a mix of words, numbers, and symbols – For example, “My fluffy dog Rufus loves 2 eat chicken & steak 4 dinner!” becomes: MfdRl2ec&s4d!
- Never reuse passwords: Each account should have its own unique password.
Preventative Measures
Even the strongest passwords need regular maintenance. Here’s how to keep yours secure:
- Use a password manager: These tools securely store and generate strong passwords, so you don’t have to memorize all of them.
- Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA): Add an extra layer of protection! Many websites will ask you to enable MFA with things like a text code, facial recognition, or via email.
- Stay mindful of phishing: Avoid entering your password on websites from unsolicited emails.
- Update passwords regularly: Aim to change your passwords every few months, especially for your most sensitive accounts like online banking or email.
If Your Password is Compromised…
- Act quickly: Minimize the damage by taking swift action to recover your compromised accounts.
- Change your password ASAP: Log in to the account that the password has been compromised for (companies will contact you to let you know) and update the password to something completely new.
- Secure other accounts: If the compromised password or a close iteration of it was used anywhere else, be sure to update those accounts as well.
- Enable MFA: If you didn’t have multi-factor authentication enabled already, do so now.
- Monitor accounts: Be on the lookout for unauthorized activity in your bank account or on shopping platforms.
- Alert your bank: If the compromised password belonged to an account that stored any financial information, contact your bank immediately to let them know.
As always, if you have questions or suspect fraud, Guthrie County State Bank is here to help. Stay safe, stay secure, and stay tuned for future Fraud Fridays for more helpful tips!