Lock Down Your Login

ITS doesn’t keep drilling the importance of strong passwords for nothing. In our increasingly online world, we can’t afford to have weak passwords that open us up to attack and identity theft. A strong password is an essential part of life as an internet citizen.

One way you can protect yourself is by using a passphrase instead of a password. A passphrase is just what it sounds like; a phrase in place of the traditional password. Passphrases are usually unrelated words with numbers, symbols, and capitalization to add to their complexity. Ilovespringtime! or ThemeetingisatNoon are examples of passphrases that are easy to remember, easy to type, and difficult for someone to crack. Try this site to generate passphrases.

In addition to this, use a fingerprint or other biometric identification when possible. This provides an extra layer of protection since these markers are specific to you.

Whenever possible, you should always use multifactor identification. This is when you need to provide several pieces of information to enter your account, rather than just a username and password. For example, you may be asked for your phone number so you can input a unique code that will be texted to you to gain access.

This service is becoming increasingly more common and for good reason. It’s a fantastic way to add another security layer to your accounts.

A side effect of all of these additional security methods is that it is much more difficult to remember multiple passwords than simply using the same password on every website that you visit. Luckily, password managers are a fantastic way to keep track of your login info in a secure place. You can try Password Safe, LastPass, or Dashlane for a simple password managing experience.

With all of these security-boosting methods in mind, go forth into the internet with the knowledge that you can protect yourself from identity thieves and other hackers.

Adapted from http://er.educause.edu/blogs/2017/9/may-2018-use-strong-passwords-and-passphrases-to-lock-down-your-login