Improve Your Internet Security - Change Your Password

One of the easiest ways for the dark web to take advantage of your online presence is by you using the same password across all of your accounts. Many Internet security hacks can usually be prevented and one of the simplest ways to avoid being a cyber victim is never to use the same password twice.

Password Risks

If a hacker successfully gets ahold of one of your passwords, there's a better good chance they'll try the same password across multiple accounts. According to a survey from Keeper Security, most people reuse passwords across many platforms, allowing hackers to steal an abundance of account information. Take a look at these 'same password' stats:

• 63% of data breaches are due to stolen or weak passwords.
• 87% of survey responders 18-30 reuse their passwords.
• 81% of survey responders 31 and up reuse their passwords.

As the stats show, many people use the same passwords across multiple platforms, including bank accounts, email accounts, and even home security systems. Creating stronger passwords and eliminating the reusing passwords can minimize cyber hacks.

How to Create Stronger Passwords You'll Remember

The reason most people continue to use the same password or a weak variation of said password is for the sake of simplicity. Most of us have more than ten passwords to remember at any given time, if not more. So using the same password make sense for the short term but could cause long term damage if a hacker gets their hands on it. Choosing complex passwords for every login doesn't seem to make much sense. But, it's the best way to secure any account.

So how do you create a strong and secure password that you can easily remember? The following methods work well when choosing a secure password:

• Add letters and numbers
• Choose a password that's 12 digits long
• Avoid your first or last name, child's name, or any other names
• Try to avoid dictionary words
• Do not use your home address or phone number

Best Password Storage Tools

Now for the memory part - how can you possibly remember multiple complex passwords filled with letters, numbers and other random digits?

There are a few password storage tools available. While those tools aren't entirely hack-proof, as was the case in 2015 when LastPass was hacked, they do provide a good alternative to getting locked out of an account every time you try to remember a password. It should be noted that LastPass has since fixed the security flaw that left the program vulnerable. Here are some of the best password storage tools available:

• LastPass: this password manager is the gold standard for good reason. It was one of the first of its kind, it can generate a strong password for you, and it can change a password for you. Just don't forget the master password required to log into your LastPass account!

• 1Password: this password manager is popular for a variety of reasons. 1Password can be used locally, no need to sync information online. It has a password generator, and it's proven to be hack-proof thus far.

There are other password managers out there, but 1Password and LastPass are (by far) the most popular options. Auto-generating passwords and storing password information in a password manager are two of the best ways to beef up internet security and prevent password hacks.