How Safe is Your Password?

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May 6 is World Password Day and in celebration of the day we never knew we needed, cybersecurity experts are handing out their top tips for creating strong passwords and keeping our passwords safe.
According to the New York Post, one in three Americans have had their passwords hacked or their identity stolen, so creating a strong password plays a huge part in keeping accounts secure.
On May 6, cybersecurity experts are asking Americans to take time during the day to check on their passwords, change weak passwords to something stronger and check to see whether any passwords they use have been compromised.
So, what can you do?
Emily Stamm, COO and cofounder of CSNP, a cybersecurity education nonprofit, sat down with Woman’s Day to share her top tips:
Change Your Password – as a rule Stamm recommends changing your password every 3 to 12 months.
Keep Them Unique – Stamm told Woman’s Day it’s important to use a different password for every account. That way if one gets stolen, your other accounts will be safe.
Use a “Passphrase” – Instead of a shorter password (which can be easier to hack), Stamm suggests using an obscure lyric, poem or random combo of at least four words.
Use a Password Manager – trying to remember multiple passwords is hard, so Stamm told Woman’s Day she recommends using a password manager such as 1Password or LastPass, which encrypts and stores all your passwords.
Finally, May 6 is a good day to check and see if any of your passwords have been compromised, or sold on the dark web. According to Forbes, sites such as haveibeenpwned and “Google Password Checkup” will check to see if your password has been exposed in a data breach and is circling on the dark web.