Easy tips for creating secure passwords

Protecting your online identity is important. To prevent hackers from getting into your Twitter account or trying to make Ebay purchases at your expense (yikes!), it’s crucial to keep your log-ins safe. A password meeting strong password requirements would take a normal hacker 34,000 years to guess, according to security.org. So, the important of secure passwords really can’t be understated.

We have a few tips for creating strong passwords that will help bring you some peace of mind. So the next time you’re scrolling through your social media accounts, binging a new show on Netflix, or ordering some comfy sweatpants on Amazon, you can rest assured knowing that no one is getting into your accounts without your permission.

Below are a few things to keep in mind when creating passwords.

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Avoid common words or characters

Having passwords with common words or characters not only makes it easy for hackers to log into your accounts, but also anyone you vaguely know. Yes, even vague acquaintances on social media. Having special characters and a mix of uppercase and lowercase characters can help make your passwords harder to crack.

Stay away from common words or predictable character sequences, like “password123” or “qwerty.” Also avoid using any identifying information in your passwords, such as your name, nickname, birthday, or really, anything associated with you. That means no pet names or street names, too. The goal is to make your passwords impossible to guess, after all!

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Don’t recycle passwords

It’s a good idea to use a unique password for every site that requires a log-in. Here’s why: if a hacker uncovers your password for one account, they’ll have access to get into every account that you’ve used that same password for.

Not recycling passwords also includes avoiding the same root word. So if your password is “iLovedogs?111” on one site, “iLovedogs?222” on another site would still be considered an unsafe password.

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Longer passwords are better

Eight characters is a great place to start when creating new passwords—but even longer is better. According to security expert Brian Krebs, you can add password security by using a passphrase made up of three or four random words. However, since it can be personally difficult to remember unconnected words, you might want to consider using a password manager.

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Try out a password manager

Password managers can help by creating strong, unguessable passwords for you. You don’t have to create new passwords on your own—Tilig generates 10-character passwords that are unique for every website.

Plus, unlike other password managers, we’re free to use. That’s right—you never have to pay to use our product!

Psst. One last tip for you: enabling two-factor authentication adds an additional layer of security to your accounts. This is a security safeguard that requires a second piece of information (usually a one-time code) before you can log into your account.