Like keeping our doors locked to keep our homes safe from burglars, keeping our online accounts secure is vital to help protect ourselves from cyber criminals - and passwords are the key. Here are some tips to help you keep your accounts safe online.
These tips come from the Think Before You Click - #ThinkB4UClick awareness campaign during European Cyber Security Month in October 2021 across the European Union, organised by the European Cyber Security Agency (ENISA), the European Commission and Member States, including the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.
1. Choose strong passwords
- The stronger your password is, the more difficult it is to hack your account.
- Create passwords that are at least 15 characters long and include a combination of upper and lower case letters, numbers and symbols if allowed.
- A good way to do this is to create a passphrase - use a sentence that includes unusual words, or words from different languages.
- In addition, always use unique passwords for all your online accounts.
2. Use a password manager
A password manager is a convenient way to take care of your passwords.
Several very good password managers are free and easy to use. It will create strong passwords for you and keep them secure.
If you’d prefer not to use a password manager, write your passwords into a notebook and keep it in a secure placeaway from your computer
3. Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
Multi-factor authentication (like 2FA) provides an extra layer of security to help protect your accounts.
It is an electronic authentication method where you need to present two or more pieces of evidence (factors) toconfirm your identity and access your account, for example a password and a code that is sent to your mobile phone. Your account cannot be accessed without entering this code.
4. Do all of the above!
For extra security, use a password manager that will create strong passwords for you and enable multi-factor authentication when available for your best chance to keep your accounts secure.