13 Tips For Hack-Proofing Your Passwords

Don't worry, it's much easier than it looks!

1. It all starts with the dictionary (and trying to avoid using it).

maureenpr / Getty Images

The most basic hacking comes by simply attempting to guess your password by trying different combinations.

There are currently just over 1,000,000 words in the dictionary, and some cracking programs can test a million combinations every second.

Unfortunately, we can be quite predictable. Can you guess the two most common passwords?

Tap to reveal Click to reveal

Buzzfeed

2. In fact, if your passwords contains any of these things, you should think about changing them.

ThinkStock

• Anything with a name in it, whether it's yours, a family member, a pet, or a place

• Personal details, such as birthdays, addresses, or sports teams

• Anything that appears in the dictionary

• Popular culture references

• All-numeric passwords

• Anything fewer than six characters

• Product names, technical terms, places

3. Ready to build a new password? Then you need a mix of uppercase, lowercase, numbers, AND symbols.

BuzzFeed Blue / youtu.be

Don't scrimp on the symbols now.

4. The more random you are, the more you become a huge pain in the backside for any potential cracker.

Buzzfeed

And being a pain in the backside is exactly what we're trying to accomplish here.

5. (However, replacing the odd letter with a number doesn't count.)

Westend61 / Getty Images

Capitalisation of the first letter or switching similar letters and numbers (3=E, 4=A, etc.) are the most obvious small changes someone would make to a password, and thus would be the first thing a cracker would guess too.

6. Even when you think you're being unpredictable, you may still be predictable.

ThinkStock

These were found to be some of the most common patterns in a 2013 study by US defence research organisation DARPA. Any look familiar?

• Beginning with one uppercase letter, followed by all lowercase

• If a password isn't long enough, adding an extra number or symbol to extend it

• Putting digits, especially two or four of them, at the beginning or end

• If a symbol is needed, adding an exclamation mark at the end

• Not using more then a single symbol

7. One trick is to use the initials of a memorable phrase. Can you figure out the examples below?

Buzzfeed

Did you get any of them?

Tap to reveal Click to reveal

Buzzfeed

Pretty testing! Even more so if you're a humble cracking program that isn't really into pop culture, especially with no hints to go off.

8. However, a strong password is only half the battle.

Buzzfeed

Your password may be nice and well-constructed, but a hacker might not even need to crack it. A security breach could leak your password, or someone could assume your identity and reset your account.

9. This is why two-step authentication is important (despite being kinda annoying).

Tetra Images / Getty Images

Someone halfway across the world may be able to get your password, but two-step means it's useless to them without somehow managing to get hold of your phone too.

10. You can visit TwoFactorAuth.org to find out which sites offer two-step security.

ThinkStock

The list covers the majority of the web's most popular sites that carry sensitive information, which can help you choose which services are doing their best to keep your data safe.

11. Just remember to add a back-up phone number, in case yours goes missing.

ThinkStock

Alternatively, you can link a back-up email, while some sites offer the ability to print off a series of codes you can use if you get locked out.

12. DON'T be tempted to reuse passwords.

Jasper Cole / Getty Images

It'll undermine all your good work! All it takes is for one website to have a security breach, and that compromises your data on every other site that has that password.

13. You'll need a unique, strong password for every major site you use, so get a password manager to organise them.

Warner Bros / Via goboiano.com

It may seem strange to put all of your passwords in one place, but it means your passwords are stored offline AND you only need to remember one.

Try LastPass, KeePass, or 1Password – all of which can both generate random passwords and manage them for you.

Online security doesn't have to be chore. Protect your account in minutes with Google Security Checkup.

Security Checkup is just one of a number of ways Google is committed to helping you protect your account with the most advanced security on the web.

With the new Google My Account tool, all of your security and privacy settings are consolidated in one place, making it easier for you to manage what you do and don't want to share online.