March 15th is National Password Day: Check Your Passwords Today
ARLINGTON, Va. (PRWEB) March 14, 2018 -- When is the last time you reviewed the passwords to your bank account, e-mail or credit card accounts? Today is a good day to do it. Why? March 15th is National Password Day. Together with the Federal Trade Commission, the Better Business Bureau is sharing tips to make your passwords more secure.
- Make your password long, strong and complex. That means at least twelve characters, mixed with uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Avoid common words, phrases or information in your passwords.
- Don’t reuse passwords used on other accounts. Use different passwords for different accounts so that if a hacker compromises one account, he can’t access other accounts.
- Use multi-factor authentication, when available. For accounts that support it, two-factor authentication requires both your password and an additional piece of information to log in. The second piece could be a code sent to your phone, or a random number generated by an app or token. This protects your account even if your password is compromised.
- Consider a password manager. Most people have trouble keeping track of all their passwords. Consider storing your passwords and security questions in a reputable password manager, an easy-to-access application that stores all your password information. Use a strong password to secure the information in your password manager.
- Select security questions only you know the answer to. Many security questions ask for answers to information available in public records or online, like your zip code, mother’s maiden name, and birth place. That is information a motivated attacker can obtain. Don’t use questions with a limited number of responses that attackers can easily guess – like the color of your first car.
- Change passwords quickly if there is a breach. If you receive a notification from a company about a possible breach, change that password and any account that uses a similar password immediately.
For more information on keeping your information secure, check out the FTC's article on Computer Security. And click here for BBB's tips on identity theft.
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ABOUT BBB: For more than 100 years, the Better Business Bureau has been helping people find businesses, brands and charities they can trust. In 2016, people turned to BBB more than 167 million times for BBB Business Profiles on more than 5.2 million businesses and Charity Reports on 11,000 charities, all available for free at bbb.org. The Council of Better Business Bureaus is the umbrella organization for the local, independent BBBs in the United States, Canada and Mexico, as well as home to its national and international programs on dispute resolution, advertising review, and industry self-regulation
MEDIA CONTACTS: For more information, journalists for national media outlets should contact Katherine Hutt (212-705-0131) or khutt(at)council.bbb(dot)org. Journalists for local media outlets should contact their regional spokesperson (bbb.org/bbb-locator).
Katherine Hutt, Council of Better Business Bureaus, +1 (703) 247-9345, [email protected]
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