Is Sharing Passwords Okay? 8 Surefire Ways to Protect Your Online Passwords

Are you asked to share your password on any platform online?

Sharing passwords is something that people often think about on the Internet. Sometimes, it’s so that someone can manage their accounts for a while. This allows them to ensure that their accounts are in safe hands while they’re away.

The only issue with this is that they’re giving away everything in their account to whoever they share their password with. Your password is the first and most crucial defense against things like identity theft and credit fraud. Giving this away allows easy access to sensitive files and confidential data.

Even if you keep your password secret from everyone else, determined hackers can still get ahold of it. You’ll need to learn how to protect your password to prevent this from happening. Read on to learn what you can do to increase your password’s strength.

1. Increase Your Password’s Strength

It’s surprising that many people still use passwords like “123456” or use the word “password” itself today. This is a practice that shouldn’t exist anymore no matter what account you use. Most hackers know this, and will always try these and other variations out first.

This means that they’re likely to get into your account within the first few guesses if you set your password as such. The first step in password protection is to change this and use stronger passwords.

It’s recommended that you don’t use common dictionary words, too. These words are easy to guess and can still allow hackers into your account.

Instead, use random strings of characters with some of them capitalized. It’s also a good idea to include numbers and other special characters.

2. Use Biometric Options

If you’re given the option to use biometrics in place of passwords, it’s best to do so. These are harder to get hold of for hackers, giving you a significant increase in your security.

You often see these options in devices like laptops and mobile phones. Fingerprints are among the most secure since they’re unique to you.

Face scans are also a good security measure. However, the only drawback is that people who have a resemblance to you will have access to your device.

3. Enable Multifactor Authentication

Another way to protect your passwords and your account is to enable multifactor authentication. These give you the option to set another authentication method between your login and access to the account.

This is a good way to prevent people from getting access to your account without your knowledge. It’s because these authentication methods prevent easy login from unfamiliar devices. The system will send you a message telling you that someone is accessing your account.

If it’s not you or anyone you know, the system won’t give access to whoever it is. It also tells you that it’s time to change your password when you get an alert.

What’s great is that many services like Google or Facebook offer two-factor authentication. It’s a great way to protect your social profiles from anyone trying to access them.

4. Don’t Post Your Password Anywhere Digital

Most people have trouble remembering their passwords, especially if they changed it recently. This prompts them to tell someone they trust via direct messages or emails. It’s a good way for them to keep track of their passwords in case they forget.

What they don’t know is that hackers can also access these messages and emails. It’s a great way for them to access everything else from social profiles to bank accounts. A guide from LogMeOnce details why it’s a horrible idea to do this.

5. Upgrade Your Firewall

Some hackers use programs like a keylogger to hack your account. They use the program to record personal and sensitive information and have it send the data back to them.

There’s not much you can do when a keylogger enters your database. However, you can prevent it from sending sensitive data to the hacker. You can do this by upgrading and using your firewall.

These will prevent any data from leaving your device through any means. Upgrading your firewall also prevents viruses from infecting your device. These are malicious lines of code, after all, and firewalls prevent malicious code from entering your device.

6. Use Password Managers

Another way to prevent keylogger attacks is to use a password manager. These programs help you by detecting whether anything containing your passwords will leave your device.

If it detects something, it will first give you an alert. This is to inform you that you’re about to send something containing sensitive data. It also tells you if someone is trying to take that data from you by force or in secret.

The password manager then scrambles the password, making it unrecognizable. Some even encrypt the file so that no one can access it no matter what.

7. Mind the Links You Click On

Protecting passwords online is as easy as not clicking on anything suspicious. Phishing scams are plenty, and you can be a victim of one if you click away on the Internet. These scams are popular in emails more than anywhere else.

What’s worse is that it’s hard to tell if an email is a phishing scam in disguise. They present themselves as surveys from your bank or company emails.

A good way to avoid them is to watch what you click. If you do click on something, though, be careful not to give any personal information to anyone.

8. Create Unique Passwords For Each Account

The easiest way to increase online security is to use different passwords online. Hackers know that people use the same password on different accounts. This means that if they can access one account, they’ll access everything else.

Step up your security by using different passwords online. Even simple alterations will make it harder for them to access your account. Capitalize a letter or add a new number to your password to make it different.

Stop Sharing Passwords and Increase Security Today

Do you want to know what happens when someone gets ahold of your password? You’re better off imagining the possibilities than experiencing it yourself. Stop sharing passwords with everyone and protect them today!

Are you itching to learn more about what you can do to secure your files? Check out more of our guides and articles to learn all you can today!