Is Your Password Strong Enough?

Almost every day we get calls from customers who get “hacked.” That’s right, they lose control of an account or sometimes their entire computers to a hacker (someone who spends all their time trying to figure out your password so they can steal or copy your information).

Hackers and their malicious software continue to get smarter about how they creep into your computer. Some malicious software can obtain personal information like usernames, passwords and other information without your permission. Microsoft Windows gives some tips to making it harder for hackers to capture your passwords by making passwords stronger.

- Make your password at least eight characters long.

- Do not make any portion of your password the same as any portion of your username. 

-Don’t create a password with your name in it, your child’s name, or your pet’s name.

-Create a password that doesn’t have a complete word in it.

-Never use the same password twice.

- Use a combination of uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers and symbols.

Having trouble remembering your password? Just be cautious if you have to write it down. Try not to label it as “password” and keep it in a safe spot. If you have several passwords to manage and strive to be paperless, there are some great free apps on the internet for password management. Just remember, the more difficult a password is for you to remember, the more difficult it will be for a hacker to figure out.