TIPS FOR CREATING STRONG PASSWORDS AND PROTECTING THEM

November 27, 2023

The main security mechanism of almost any digital service today is the traditional use of the user-password binomial. Currently, this system has been criticized for the low levels of security it guarantees in relation to other alternatives.

Although there have been efforts to reinvent this system , as long as it exists and is used, from our side of users we can take some precautions to protect our information and online activity.

Check if your password was leaked

Even if you have the greatest safeguards regarding your login credentials, if you are registered on a site or service that has been a victim of information leaks, your data could be compromised. If you tend, against all advice, to use the same email and password combination in multiple places, your exposure could be even greater.

Sites like Have I Been Pwned or Firefox Monitor not only allow you to check if your information was leaked, but they also show you clues as to the origin of the data leak. Both options have an email notification system, through which you can receive a message if your email account has been compromised in a leak after your last search.

Create a strong password

Although most login systems have some method of protection against forced attacks, many still have vulnerabilities to bots that, using word databases and random character combination generators, can try to guess the password associated with your account. of e-mail.

To reduce the chances of success of these attacks, it is recommended to use passwords with lengths greater than eight characters, combining letters, numbers, symbols, uppercase and lowercase letters. A c0ntr@s3ñA!como-€stA could be as safe as a random series of characters, so you can come up with some combination that is not so difficult to type and remember, ideally avoiding easy-to-infer words around your public digital activity .

Use two-factor authentication

Various websites and applications, including the main social networks and email services, offer this option as an additional protection resource when logging in.

By linking your phone number or a mobile device to your account using an application for this purpose, a new step will be added to the login process, in which you will have to insert a verification code that you will receive through the channel configured to validate your start. of session.

In the event that the above recommendations have not fully fulfilled their function and your password has been discovered, unauthorized access to your personal information can be obstructed by requiring this code that would be sent exclusively to a trusted device that is under your control.

Try a password manager

The main web browsers and mobile operating systems offer an integrated password manager that allows you to store your passwords for later use without the need to type them every time it is necessary. iCloud Keychain or Firefox Lockwise are some examples of this.

Each service offers its own security guarantees. In case that is not enough for you, you can opt for other options.

Payment alternatives such as 1Password , Lastpass or Bitwarden offer more sophisticated solutions with greater security guarantees. However, these options are not completely foolproof.

In addition to helping with memory in case of using various password combinations in different web services, these applications are extremely useful to avoid exposing yourself to being spied on by a keylogger, which is software often used for malicious purposes, with the ability to Record each keystroke made on the keyboard.

Unfortunately, data breaches are common today and attack systems are also becoming more sophisticated. To avoid any future regrets, it is important to go one step ahead and take the appropriate precautions, especially if your digital activity is fluid.

Still, having your WiFi password stolen is something that can happen easily, so try to change it from time to time.

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