Password Security Best Practices For Strong Passwords

What Is Password Security?

It is so crucial to create strong passwords to ensure your sensitive information and data are kept secure. If your password security is not enough, you risk having your accounts hacked and information stolen by hackers.

Think about it, you use passwords for everything–your mobile banking, social media, for logging into your email, and even for apps on your mobile. Creating strong passwords is extremely important.

So, to prevent your email from being hacked, keep reading to the end of this article to learn our password security tips and how to create a strong password.

At the end of the article, we will also talk about Clean Email’s Privacy Monitor feature which is a handy tool that checks your email against any known data breaches and provides recommendations on what action to take if it does happen.

Password Security Best Practices

Here’s how to keep your passwords secure. Follow these tips to ensure your accounts are never compromised.

1. Never tell anyone your username and password
   If you receive an email, or a phone call asking for this information, it’s a scam. Legitimate companies will not ask for this information. Always keep your details a secret!
2. Use different passwords for different accounts
   If you use the same credentials for all your accounts, you’re at risk of breaching every single account once your email has been hacked. Use strong passwords for each of your accounts.
3. Use multi-factor authentication
   This essentially means you must go through multiple steps before accessing your account. This can be done by using your fingerprint, receiving a text code, or using facial recognition.
4. Download a password manager
   There’s no way you’ll remember every single password. To avoid locking yourself out of your accounts, download a password manager app to help. By using a password security manager, you can also generate longer and more secure passwords.
5. Use a password security checker
   When creating a password, you may be shown a traffic light system of green for great and red for not good enough. However, you can use a password strength checker to test the finer details. For example, you may be told to use different characters, or make the password longer.
6. Use password security software often to test if your accounts have been hacked
   It's so easy to do a password security test. Clean Email has its built-in hacked email checker called Privacy Monitor to check if your credentials haven’t been pwned during a password security breach.
7. Change your passwords often
   This decreases your chance of being hacked. Keep all strong passwords safe in a password manager when you update them. If you’re unsure about your passwords, read this article about compromised passwords.

Password Security Tips for Creating Strong Passwords

The most important password security practice is to create strong passwords, so here's how to do this:

1. Always create longer passwords
   Did you know you can use a phrase or a sentence for your password? The longer it is, the harder it is to hack. You just need to make sure you remember it. A good idea is to use a phrase from a book you like or something along those lines!
2. Use everything you can
   Use all the characters, numbers, and upper and lower-case letters within your password. Remember, every extra detail makes your credentials harder to guess.
3. Don’t make your password about you
   Think about what information you have available to anyone online. Don’t use your dog’s name, your house number, or the name of your old school.
4. Don’t use letters close to each other on the keyboard
   For example, qwerty is a very common password, and therefore, it’s most likely going to be hacked.
5. Don’t use a single word that can be found in the dictionary
   Always add extra characters, and numbers, or even spell the word differently.
6. Don’t rely on the strength meter when creating a password
   If you are asked to add more numbers, use something different to 123!
7. Use brackets when you can
   Add () or {} into your credentials for extra security.

Increase Your Account Security With Privacy Monitor

Having a clean mailbox is super important for keeping on top of daily tasks, but also to keep a check on what emails are coming in and out of your inbox.

Clean Email is a bulk email management app that keeps your emails organized and your mail account decluttered. With the app’s automation features, you can set up rules and filters to manage incoming messages right when they reach your inbox.

Privacy Monitor is the Clean Email’s amazing feature that helps protect you from hackers who try their best to steal your personal information.

With Privacy Monitor, you can check if your account has been involved in a known data breach or security incident. If your account has been pwned, you should then take the steps to create multi-factor authentication, create a new password, and more.

Here's how to use Privacy Monitor:

1. Log into the app with your mail account.
2. Click Privacy Monitor in the left pane.
3. Wait for the check to complete.
4. If your address has been found in a data breach, you should now take action to protect your account.

Privacy Monitor is completely free for all Clean Email users. You can use it on your mobile device by downloading the app’s iOS or Android version.