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Tech Talk: Tools on How to Keep Your Password Safe

So, you have internet security and all your passwords saved in the memory drive of your head. But sometimes that isn’t enough. Most laptop users fall victim to the ‘it won’t happen to me’ mindset, and while the very real threat of hacking seems abstract and unlikely to occur to ‘ordinary people’, over 90 data breaches being reported in the month of June alone.

However, when using your laptop in connected public wifi spots such as libraries or co-share spaces can put your device at risk of of being hacked, with 79% of users not using a VPN with public wifi and are indulging in risky business. The tech experts at ASUS have put together four simple tips on how to create a solid password, which will help safeguard your laptop and your data at uni.

Create a strong password

The first step is to get what is known as a ‘strong’ password. This normally involves using two completely separate words, with a mixture of numbers, capital letters and symbols to ensure that the password is difficult to crack. It is also crucial that you stay away from obvious words that are similar to each other. For example, ‘silver’ and ‘necklace’ would be a terrible password combination, and password-cracking programs are now able to simply skim through dictionary words and uncover patterns.

Test your password out

‘Password manager’ sites are able to test your password to see whether it is long and complex enough. Websites such as ‘How Secure is Your Password’ and ‘Dashlane’ are safe websites developed by trusted experts, and are normally completely free of charge unless you sync your passwords between different devices. Until you use one of these password managers then you will never be completely sure if your password has enough power.

Remember your password

It is not always easy to remember your password, especially when it is a long succession of random letters, numbers and symbols. A useful way of remembering your password is to turn each letters or symbol into a word and then a sentence. For example you can remember a password like $10tctbeda3o by creating a sentence like  ‘$10 to catch the bus every day at 3 o’clock’.

Everything can be hacked

Unfortunately due to the nature of our online world, everything can be hacked and cyber-attacks can come from any direction at any time. It’s important to be aware of this and and the potential risks when using your device in public and take the necessary steps like creating a secure password!

Guest post provided by ASUS and Thrive.