World Password Day: The dos and don'ts of passwords

Photo by NeONBRAND on Unsplash

Cybercrime has become prevalent in South Africa, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic. According to research revealed last year, South Africa has the third most cybercrime victims in the world, losing R2.2bn a year.

Password Day is an opportunity to remind people of what constitutes a robust password and how to safely store them. Password protection remains a vital component to protecting yourself against identity theft and is our first opportunity as a defence against potential threats.

Password dos and don’ts:

• Use a different password for every online account.
• Do not reuse a password.
• Passwords must be hard-to-guess.
• Consider using a password manager application by a reputable vendor, this is a solution to providing encrypted passwords to get into each of your online accounts.
• Change your passwords regularly.
• Do not store your passwords on your phone or computer.
• Use long, unique and complex passwords with several different combinations of characters.
• Consider opting for two-factor authentication if the service allows for it, this is in the form of an SMS to your phone providing a one-time password (OTP) as an example.
• Never click on any link that cannot be verified, received via email or social media.
• Avoid emails from unfamiliar senders, especially those that ask you to confirm your details.
• Make sure that your router is password secured.
• Periodically remove temporary internet files.