Passwords

Create strong passwords and do not reuse passwords

Passwords are the most common form of protection for both your system and online accounts. If you have a strong password, the less likely an attacker will be able to access your system or online accounts. Do not reuse passwords. If your password is ever discovered all of your accounts that share the password are now accessible. Using a password manager can help with keeping track of different passwords for all of your accounts.

Here are a few guide lines to help create a strong password

• At least 8 characters long, longer the better
• Does not contain words found in the dictionary
• Does not contain any names. This includes: first, last, pet, company, significant other, etc…
• A mixture of  upper case and lower case letters
• Contains numbers: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 0
• Contains special characters such as: ` ~ ! @ # $ % ^ & * ( ) _ + = ? / \ | [ ] { } < > , .
• Different from other passwords
• Never share your password
• Never write down your password and store it in an easy to read place
• Enable two-factor authentication when possible