There is an important day for online security on January 20th. It isn’t your birthday (unless it is), but it is Change Your Password Day!
In 2012, Matt Buchanan created this special day to highlight the need to protect ourselves from cyber threats such as hackers. To keep yourself safe online, we’ll learn why Change Your Password Day was created, how to create a secure password, and more in this article.
Introduction to Change Your Password Day
In January, we kick off the New Year with Change Your Password Day. This annual event reminds us to keep our online accounts secure by updating our passwords regularly.
Change your password day is an excellent opportunity to reassess your online security and make sure you’re doing everything you can to protect yourself from cyber criminals. Here are a few tips to help you get started:
1. Use a strong password: A strong password is at least 8 characters long and includes a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Avoid using easily guessed words like your name or birthdate.
2. Don’t use the same password for all of your accounts: If a hacker gains access to one of your accounts, they could then try using that same password to break into your other accounts. So it’s important to have different passwords for each of your online accounts.
3. Use a password manager: A password manager is a software program that helps you create and store strong passwords for all of your online accounts. Many password managers will also generate strong passwords for you and automatically fill in login forms to save you time.
4. Keep your passwords confidential: Avoid writing down your passwords or sharing them with anyone else. If someone else knows your passwords, they could gain access to your accounts without your permission.
What is Change Your Password Day?
Change Your Password Day is an annual event that encourages internet users to change their passwords in order to improve online security. This day was created in response to the growing number of data breaches and cyber attacks. Although changing your password regularly is always a good idea, this day provides a reminder and extra incentive to do so.
There are a few simple steps you can take to participate in Change Your Password Day:
1. Choose a strong password: A strong password is at least 8 characters long and includes a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Avoid using easily guessed words like your name or birthday.
2. Change your passwords regularly: How often you should change your passwords depends on the sensitivity of the information they protect. However, changing them at least once a year is generally recommended.
3. Use different passwords for different accounts: If one of your passwords is compromised, using different passwords for each of your accounts can help limit the damage.
4. Keep your passwords safe: Don’t write down your passwords or store them in an unsecure location. Use a password manager if needed to help you keep track of them all.
Change Your Password Day is a great opportunity to take some simple steps towards improving your online security. By choosing strong passwords and keeping them up-to-date, you can make it much harder for cyber criminals to access your personal information.
Who Started Change Your Password Day?
In 2003, computer security expert Bill Burr wrote a paper for the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) entitled ‘NIST Special Publication 800-63. Appendix A: Password Management Guidelines’. In this document, Burr proposed that users should change their passwords every 90 days.
The idea of changing passwords regularly to improve security was soon picked up by other security experts, and the date of October 21st was chosen as Change Your Password Day. The thinking behind this date is that it’s easy to remember (10/21), and it’s also the start of the Fall season, which is a good time to take care of any housekeeping tasks like changing your password.
Since its inception, Change Your Password Day has grown in popularity, and is now celebrated by many major organizations including Microsoft, Google, and Mozilla.
Importance of Changing Passwords Regularly
It’s important to change your password regularly to help protect your account from being hacked. A hacker could guess your password if you use the same one all the time, or they could find out your password through a phishing attack.
If you use a different password for each account, a hacker would need to compromise multiple accounts to access your sensitive information. By changing your passwords regularly, you make it more difficult for a hacker to access your accounts.
In addition to changing your passwords regularly, you should also choose strong passwords that are difficult to guess. A strong password is typically at least 8 characters long and includes a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.
How to Create a Strong Password
When it comes to creating a strong password, there are a few key things to keep in mind. First and foremost, your password should be at least eight characters long. It should also include a mix of upper- and lower-case letters, as well as numbers and special characters.
To make your password even stronger, try to avoid using dictionary words or easily guessed phrases. Instead, opt for something that is completely random. And finally, be sure to change your password on a regular basis – at least every few months – to further reduce the chances of it being compromised.
Tips for Creating and Remembering Passwords
1. Use a mix of letters, numbers, and special characters in your passwords.
2. Avoid using easily guessed words like ‘password’ or your birthdate.
3. Create a different password for each online account you have.
4. Keep your passwords stored in a secure location, such as a password manager or encrypted file.
5. Don’t share your passwords with anyone else.
6. Change your passwords regularly to help keep them secure.
7. Use a passphrase, which is a combination of unrelated words that are easier to remember than a long string of characters.
8. Create a mnemonic device using the first letter of each word in your pass phrase. For example, if your phrase is ‘It’s easy to create secure passwords’, you can use ‘iectsp’.
9. Add numbers to your passphrase for extra security, such as ‘i2ectsP’.
10. Always log out of websites and close your browser after using them.
Alternatives to Traditional Username and Password Authentication
There are many ways to authenticate a user beyond the traditional username and password. Here are some examples of alternative methods:
Single sign-on (SSO) is an authentication process that allows a user to access multiple applications with one set of credentials. With SSO, a user logs in once with their username and password, and they are then able to access all of the applications they have been given permission to use.
Two-factor authentication (2FA) is an additional layer of security that requires a user to provide two forms of identification when logging in. For example, a user might need to enter their username and password, as well as a code that is sent to their phone. 2FA can make it more difficult for someone to gain unauthorized access to an account.
Biometric authentication uses physical or behavioral characteristics (such as a fingerprint or voice) to verify a user’s identity. This type of authentication is often used in combination with other methods, such as a username and password.
Change Your Password Day is a great reminder that it is important to keep up with the latest cyber security protocols and stay aware of potential threats. Whether you are using a password manager or manually setting passwords for all your accounts, regularly changing them will help protect you from malicious hackers. We hope this article has been useful in reminding you how important it is to change your passwords on a regular basis. So make sure to take just five minutes out of your busy day today and update those passwords!
