How to Handle Your Passwords Safely — And Why It Matters
In our increasingly digital world, passwords are the keys to your most sensitive data.
Developing the good habits to keep those keys safe is essential to keeping your accounts secure.
We hope this memo will shine a light on some of the risks you might be taking with your password and how to mitigate.
Poor Password Handling practices
Passwords sent via email:
Imagine sending your office keys through the mail in a transparent envelope. Sounds risky, right? That’s what it’s like when you send a password through email. Email is not encrypted and can be intercepted in many ways. It is best practice to consider email the least secure method for transferring data and never send sensitive data through email if there is a more secure option available.
Reusing passwords:
Now, imagine someone intercepting that transparent envelope and making a copy of your office keys.Then, they put the key back and nobody knows it’s been tampered with. Now, they have a way into your office. But at least that key doesn’t open your house,back door, car, vacation home, and P.O. box as well, right? Well, if you re-use the same password for everything, you are giving many more opportunities for malicious individuals to gain access to your life.
Best Practices for Safe Password Handling
- Never share passwords via email!
These channels are not secure. If you must share a password, use a secure password manager with a built-in sharing feature. - Use strong, unique passwords.
A good password is at least 12 characters long, includes a mix of letters,numbers, and symbols, and avoids personal information like birthdays or names. A good password manager application will also generate strong, random passwords for you that you will never have to memorize. - Use a password manager.
There are many good options out there for password managers. Bit Warden is a good free option forWindows PCs, and 1Password for MacBooks. These tools help you create, store, and autofill complex passwords securely so you don’t have to remember them all. - Turn on two-factor authentication (2FA).
2FA adds an extra layer of security by requiring a second form of verification (like a code sent to your phone) before granting access. - Change passwords immediately if you suspect a breach.
If you think a password may have been exposed or shared insecurely, change it right away. - Don’t reuse passwords across accounts.
If one account is compromised, reused passwords make it easy for hackers toaccess the rest.
We are always here to help with your tech issues, But we love giving advice too! If you have any questions or are unsure on how to implement these practices into your daily routine, please feel free to reach out!