Password Management Tips To Enhance Your Web Security

Passwords have been part and parcel of our lives. From the time when lockable boxes started using specific codes so as to give the person opening it access to the time when ATM cards came into the scene, passwords have continued to evolve. With this evolution in password complexity, security threats have also grown in equal measure.

The web is one of the latest platforms where security has become a topic that has generated much interest and concern. How safe is your personal and business information online. Cyber threat has been ranked as one of the issues that will define the IT landscape this century.

Our lives in the opening years of this millennium is defined not by what we put online but rather by how well we protect what we put on the web. Password management is one of the critical issues that is rarely discussed but has so much that may be of interest to businesses and individuals who go about their businesses on the web. 

Password management tips

Think about the many virtual accounts that you operate. Some of these accounts could be having your lifetime savings that can disappear in a flash if a hacker accessed your account. To prevent this and other unfortunate incidences from visiting you, you need to have sound password management policies. Below are some of the tips that you may find useful as you restructure your password management strategies.

The Length of the Password

It is said that the longer the password, the less likely it is that another person will be able to follow it through and hack it. The length here is relative. Some people would rather have eight characters while others may go beyond ten. Some online platforms have restrictions as to the least number of characters you can use for a password. Shorter passwords are deemed to be insecure and as such may not be the best for you. 

Some sites also have password indicators that will show you how strong or weak your password is based on the number of characters that you enter.

The Privacy Level

Your password is your gateway to so much about you some of which you may not want to disclose. This means that you need to safeguard this password. One of the ways of enhancing you privacy level is to ensure that whenever you are entering your password, no one is near you. Be careful of the peeping Toms who may want to try something nasty on you. You should also avoid leaving your passwords in the open for everyone to see, this can also jeopardize your security and privacy levels. Never share your password with anyone else; it is yours and yours alone.

Sign out from Active Sessions

Whenever you enter an active session, you normally provide your details including the password so as to be able to sign in. Many people have a tendency of remaining logged on even when they are no longer running active sessions. Such mistakes can easily provide an avenue to hackers who may use this opportunity to change your password and lock you out of your account. You cannot afford to make such a costly mistake.

Change Your Passwords Periodically

Changing your passwords from time to time is a healthy exercise. In fact it is recommended that after every 6 months or so, you need to modify your password so as to reduce the risk of web exposure. Operating on the web using a password for a lengthy period of time can jeopardize your web security. Whenever you change the password, ensure that it does not have a resemblance to the previous one. This is critical because it will cut the connections that you may have had with any malicious tracking software.

Your Password Should Not Contain Your Name or Any Part of It

There are some individuals who use passwords that have either part of their names or their full names and their dates of birth. While this may be easy to remember, it may expose you to unnecessary security risks on the internet. Use totally different password characters and even add special characters where necessary. These are difficult to hack.

Use Different Passwords for Different Accounts

If possible, use different passwords for the different accounts that you run online. This will spread your risk and limit the exposure. In case by mistake one of your accounts gets hacked, you will still have a fall back plan and guarantee of safety on the other accounts.

About Author

Jason Park is a data security expert. He is well versed with file storage systems on the web and how to protect such from cyber threats. He provides technical support to clients online and he occasionally contributes articles on sites such as iPage Directory Listing.