Three tips for creating a good password

In a recent study by KnowBe4 Research, only 24 per cent of employees save their passwords. This suggests that many employees reuse their passwords.

“Using the same, simple password at multiple locations makes you easier prey for hackers,” warned Kai Roer, managing director of KnowBe4 Research.

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Roer explained that KnowBe4 Research evaluated organisations’ security culture and had analysed the responses of more than 160 000 people surveyed worldwide. “These figures show that three out of four people do not write their passwords down. At the same time, other surveys show that just under 25 per cent use a programme to keep their passwords, while half of us try and remember them.

“Most of us use a whole host of online services and systems requiring passwords, both at work and at home. By using the same password at multiple locations or a short password that is easy to remember, you are making it easier for hackers to access your accounts,” explained Roer.

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Roer said for years, companies would tell employees to not write down their passwords. Then, they were asked to create complex and unique passwords. Complex passwords are difficult to remember, and many employees would resolve to reusing passwords.

“The most important step is to save your passwords somewhere no one else has access. Like on a mobile phone or a good old-fashioned notebook. So-called ‘password managers’, software that remembers your passwords for you, are a safe and recommended solution,” added Roer. 

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Roer offered the following three tips for good passwords:

1. Create unique, slightly longer passwords. The safest solution is to create a unique password for each service you use. Passwords do not have to be a single word, they could be a simple sentence or a random sequence of digits, letters and special characters.

2. Write your password down somewhere no one else has access to. With many unique passwords, it can be difficult to remember them all. Write them down, but make sure no one else has access to the list.

3. Use a ‘password manager’. This is a safe and secure way to avoid having to remember complex, unique passwords. There are plenty of good programmes and applications available. Consult your IT department at work, they will be able to advise you.  

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