What type of password is safe?

Now, if they want to sell smart products in the UK, manufacturers must adhere to stricter guidelines aimed at protecting users and boosting online security, including secure passwords.

Weak passwords carry many risks

New UK legislation requires manufacturers to adopt minimum security standards, banning easily guessable default passwords.

According to the British Government, smart devices connected to the Internet can be dangerous, as cybercriminals can use them to break into home networks and steal personal information.

Weak passwords can make users targets for bad guys who can steal their identities, access personal and business accounts, and steal money, information, or use the accounts to continue scamming others.

There are software available today that allow hackers to guess passwords easily in just a few minutes.

The best way to make your password harder to crack is to use a random three-word string, or add special characters and numbers, according to the UK Cyber ​​Security Centre. The centre also recommends using two-factor authentication and using separate passwords for each email, banking, shopping and social media account, rather than using the same password across multiple platforms.

What is a good password?

CNET reports that many people have trouble with passwords. Easy-to-guess passwords make accounts vulnerable to theft. Conversely, strong passwords are often difficult to remember and complex. Many people set up secure passwords with lots of difficult-to-guess characters, only to have to click the "Forgot Password" button later.

To make matters worse, we often have multiple accounts to set passwords for. Plus, even if we follow all the advice, we still run the risk of having our passwords stolen.

To reduce the risk of being hacked, CNET recommends making your password as long as possible. A good password is at least 16 characters long. Once you create a password like this, you won't have to worry much about password cracking software.

In terms of content, passwords that use random strings of characters are best, or combine three unrelated words to form a passphrase. Adding a special character, such as symbols or punctuation marks in the middle will not help.

If you use a passphrase, make sure it's meaningful to you and doesn't represent anything important. Don't use your birthday or other important personal date, as cybercriminals can easily figure it out.

Song titles and famous quotes are also bad ideas. Avoid using ineffective substitutions, such as @ for "a" and $ for "s." These are highly susceptible to password cracking software.

Also, don't reuse old passwords. Even the best passwords can be stolen and compromised. There are now many effective password management apps to help you remember them better.

Additionally, the old trend was to change your password every three months or so. However, according to CNET, experts say that while this may be a good practice, it’s not necessarily necessary. You should just change your password immediately if there’s any sign of a breach.