PHOENIX — When was the last time you changed the passwords for your online accounts? How strong are your passwords?
Those are a few questions you should think about as Thursday is World Password Day.
It’s a day to remind us to prioritize and secure our passwords to protect our online accounts and data.
Hackers don’t take days off, and your password might be easier to crack than you think. One cybersecurity expert offers tips to help you keep your accounts safe.
Kim Jones, Chief Information Security Officer for High Wire Networks has more than 30 years of experience in cybersecurity.
Jones said consumers should not think of cyber criminals based on what they see on TV.
“Take what you know on TV about hackers and understand that 80-90 percent of that is crazy, sexy, cool, it makes for good TV, and it looks good for TV,” said Jones.
The reality: Hackers don’t force their way into your online accounts, they log in.
“Hackers are looking for information about you, so they can log in to your system. So that they can then go get the other information,” said Jones.
Your password to your online accounts is the key to your kingdom, so don’t give the bad guys easy access.
“Strong passwords are always harder to break,” said Jones. “If you use passwords in multiple locations those are multiple targets of opportunity.”
Want to know how strong your password is? Jones said you can use websites like passwordmonster.com to find out. Simply enter your password, and the website will tell you how long it would take for a bad guy to crack the password.
“Now if you go to any third-party site, there’s always a chance that site might get hacked,” explained Jones.
To take your protection a step further, many accounts are going to multi-factor authentication. It will text a code, or ask you to run an authentication app.
Passkeys are also available, which can encrypt authentication data.
“Where those options are available, use them,” said Jones.
If you have too many passwords to keep up with, Jones said to check out third-party apps that can store your passwords, or write them in a password book, and store it securely.
Jones added, “if you are going to write your passwords down, protect them like you would your passport.”
Let ABC15 Know asked Jones, “What is an absolute password no-no?”
Jones replied, “Don’t share your passwords. That includes your friends, your family, your kids. Two -- unique passwords for every single solitary account that you have. It can be painful, but you must have those unique passwords, if you are violating those two rules you probably have a problem.”
Another ‘no-no’ is don’t assume the bad guys don’t care about you and your data, because they do, and the reason is money.
Changing your password should be part of your regular hygiene, of things that you do at home. Treat your passwords like you do your toothbrush.
Don’t share it, change it often, and keep it protected.
Jones suggests changing passwords every six months.
