A few reasons as to why your password might not be safe
You may feel safe with the password that you use because it contains letters, symbols and number. Ultimately you may not be as safe as you think though. Below are quoted the reasons for which your password is not as safe as you think it is.
1. Your password should be a … «password»
It is impressive how the word «password» was in 2012 the most famous word to be used in passwords according to hackers that have stolen millions of passwords. Equally famous were «123456» as well as «12345678», «welcome» «letmein» and «jesus».
2. Your password is not strong enough
PasswordMeter is a particularly useful tool for someone that can create a new account in a website and sees how powerful is the password used. Specifically, your password is inserted in a formula that points its weaknesses ( eg. Not many symbols used) and gives the option of upgrading it in order to make it safer.
3. You are using the same password everywhere
Scenario: Someone managed to enter your e-mail and show your replies on facebook, as well as your bank transactions. At least, the password you have for your bank is different than the one of your email right, or not?
4. The answers in your safety questions are obvious
Many web-sites ask from you to answer one safety question. Try putting something complicated or personal so someone malign could never imagine the answer. McAfee suggests questions like «How was your first kiss?» that can have some pretty weird answers that only you will know
5. You do not use Space
Many websites and programs do not allow the use of space for your password. For that reason you must use it when you are able. That last thing somebody will consider when searching for your password is to press space
6. Your password is not big enough.
Experts say that the password must not contain less than 12 and more than 24 characters if possible. Though some web-sites do not allow so big passwords. When available though, it is worth doing it.
7. Your do not use a two stage certification.
This is the mother of all safety consultants. Each time you login in one web-site you write the same password, the same character lining. If you are using the same password everywhere then two stage certification can help. What is this certification? After writing your password, the web-sites using the two stage certification ask for one more information. Usually there will be a specific program or device (token) that uses a number generator and contacts the web-site or the software that you are trying to gain access to, adding one more security level. If the token is too advanced remember that a few years ago, Blizzard ( famous video games creator) launched a certification device worth 5 euro in an effort to reduce the character theft cases and things in-game. Google offers for g-mail a similar service, as many other social networks and websites do.
