Tips on how to create a secure online password 

As today is ‘World Password Day’, we’ve put together some tips to help you keep your online passwords safe, secure and easy to remember.

Take a look and test them out for yourself.

Do

1. Make your password eight characters or more (12-plus characters if you can).
2. Use ‘nonsense’ phrases and random words that only make sense to you (see examples below).
3. Include a mixture of uppercase and lowercase letters, along with numbers and symbols (the more variation you have, the stronger your password).
4. Change your password regularly (at least every three months).
5. Consider using a password manager, which allows you to create strong passwords for each of your online accounts (you just need one password to access them).

Don’t

1. Don’t use a single word (even if it’s a long or unusual one).
2. Don’t use obvious personal information (like your name, address or date of birth).
3. Don’t use characters in the order they appear on a computer keyboard (such as qwerty).
4. Don’t use common substitutions (like numbers that represent letters in a text message), such as L8T3R or D00R8377.
5. Don’t reuse the same password for different accounts (keep each one unique).

Tips to create and remember your passwords

• Use the sentence method – Take the first two letters of a random sentence, such as The Drummer’s Arms is my favourite pub in Blackburn Town.

This would make the password: ThDrArismyfapuinBlTo.

• Try the passphrase method – Take four random words or names of things, such as a local business, a historical figure, a TV series, and a fruit. Then, put them together in a way you’ll remember them, use uppercase and lowercase letters and replace certain letters with numbers and special characters.

For example, Places Gym, Queen Anne, The X Files, and banana could create the password: Plac3sAnnEXF1lesB0naN?

• Create your own code – Use different numbers and special characters to represent random letters, deliberately misspell words and avoid using some letters altogether.

• Use your favourite book – Pick a page at random and build your password around a sentence, as well as the page, paragraph, line and chapter number.

• Choose your favourite song – Pick a memorable line and build your password around it, the album the song is from, when it was released, and the band members.