Best Ways to Protect Your Passwords in 2024

Security breaches and cyberattacks are still major headaches today. Until something different is invented, consumers have to deal with the problem of certifying that we are really us. There are different methods to protect your passwords. So far, the most popular way to store passwords is to use passwords in text, with the serious problems that come with them.

Passwords with text are not a correct solution since anyone, if they know what that password is, can log into someone else’s account. Secondary systems have been developed to improve the strength of passwords, but they are still plain text. The use of encoding passwords in the form of HASH functions is one of the systems that are used as explained in this article The problem of passwords when you use Internet.

Recent research from Telstra found that 63 per cent of Australians never change their banking passwords; 1.5 million Australians say they keep their passwords somewhere easy to find, such as on the fridge; and 1.2 million keep them in their wallet or purse.

Experts continue to warn every year that about 65 percent of the passwords used by people can be cracked in less than one insurance because they are passwords such as “123456”, “admin”, “password” and “qwerty123” among others. This article explains several methods to protect your passwords in the year 2024.

Using Password Managers

The idea is simple, you add all the passwords to a trunk and they are indexed, so I can access them in the future. There are several password managers, some of which are “embedded” in some browsers. There are also applications such as 1-password or Last Pass that  can be used to have in a protected place all the passwords that allow you to access the pages you visit.

When you use one of these apps, it’s first going to ask you for a “master password” (that’s one you’ll want to type somewhere safe) and then it will keep all your passwords and logins safe by being stored within that app. Some of these apps have systems for generating strong and complex passwords that you don’t have to memorize since they are stored within the app. Since many accounts are created, it’s always a good idea to use apps that keep all those passwords in one place.

Use Multi-Factor Authentication

One of the newest and most essential solutions today is to use two-factor authentication. This is done by sending an SMS or email message with a code or using authenticator apps that you have to access to see a code.

This double factor is usually predefined on many devices, but it has the handicap of having to carry out several steps to confirm that you are really you. For people accustomed to technology it is not complicated, but for an older person it can be complex and difficult to understand when they have to go from one app to another. The advantage is that, even if you have a weak password that a cybercriminal has hacked, they will not be able to access your account as they do not receive the message to authorize access. This service is especially important for critical services like email and banking.

Using Biometric Authentication

The use of biometric methods, such as fingerprint or facial recognition, as an additional form of authentication, if supported by the devices used, are increasingly being explored. They are often used to confirm that you are really you and to avoid having to learn passwords or keep them saved.

Using mnemonic rules that only you know

Using mnemonic rules is useful if you don’t have other, more modern systems. Using long, complex passwords that include numbers, uppercase and lowercase letters, and alphanumeric characters is a good way to use passwords. The good thing about these rules is that you can remember them and you don’t have to worry about whether the computer you are on has the password manager where you had previously saved a password.

Good passwords should be at least 12 characters long and should not have dictionary words that can be deciphered and include varied, non-sequential numbers. One of those rules is to put two words that have nothing in common together, then a number, then a special character, and then what platform you’re on. That is, an example of a password for Facebook would be StoreWall1-fa. Following this rule you could also create a similar password for X (Twitter), but changing the ending, it would therefore be StoreWall1-x. Then from time to time you can change it by adding a number, so it would be StoreWall2-fa.

Account Monitoring

Finally, it highlights the importance of monitoring account activities and setting up alerts to receive notifications about unusual activity or unauthorized access attempts. Most websites already have protocols in place to do this.

Summary

Remember that the situation may evolve and a new system to protect your passwords will be released tomorrow, but this article discusses ways to protect your passwords in the best possible way and in different ways. In addition, it is advisable to consult up-to-date sources for the latest information on online safety.