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Password Security: Everything You Need to Know

Password Security: Everything You Need to Know

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It’s not enough to create a strong password. It’s also important to take steps to keep your password safe from things like data breaches and phishing attacks. Here are some things you should know and do to keep your password safe.
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It’s not enough to create a strong password. It’s also important to take steps to keep your password safe from things like data breaches and phishing attacks. Here are some things you should know and do to keep your password safe.

Key Takeaways

  • Longer Passwords Are Way Stronger: A short password can be cracked in minutes. Aim for 12+ characters with special symbols to make it nearly impossible to break.
  • Don't Reuse or Share Passwords: Using the same password across accounts or sharing it with anyone puts all your accounts at risk.
  • Change Passwords Often: Hackers may already have your password from a breach you don't even know about. A regular update can help prevent future problems.
  • Turn On Two-Factor Authentication: Even if someone gets your password, they still need a second step to get in, this adds a strong extra layer of security.
  • Use Tools That Warn You Early: Browser protection and account monitoring can alert you to scams or breaches before they do real damage.

We've likely all heard countless times how important it is to create strong passwords, but how many of us actually do it? It turns out 50% of people haven't changed social media passwords in a year or more. 20% have never changed their password at all--EVER--and 25% change their password only when forced to do so. Given how important passwords are to our safety both online and offline, these statistics are just downright scary!

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What Can a Hacker Do with My Password?

  • Access your online accounts, many of which may contain your private information.
  • Make bank transfers or request a duplicate copy of your payment cards.
  • Send emails in your name, like scam emails to family/coworkers or things that might put your professional reputation at risk.
  • Find information that can be used to steal your identity.
  • Lock you out of your accounts.
  • The possibilities are endless.

It's so easy to go through life believing It'll Never Happen to Me, but the reality is that hackers infiltrate another account on average every 39 seconds.

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How Can I Create a Secure Password?

Given everything that hackers can do with your password, it's important to make sure that your passwords are secure. Here are some things to do when creating a secure password:

Focus on Length

When it comes to passwords, length is very important. Using a password cracker, a 9-character password can be cracked in only 2 minutes. Add another character and your password can be cracked in 2 hours. An 11-character password is cracked in 6 days, but a 12-character password takes a full year to crack.

Use Special Characters

When you add special characters to your passwords, they take much longer to crack. That 2-minute time to crack a 9 character password becomes 2 hours. 10-characters becomes one week and 11 characters becomes 2 years to crack. If you're going for the best security possible, make sure that you're using at least 12 characters and including special characters like exclamation points, periods, dollar signs, or percent symbols because this bumps the time needed to crack your password up to 2 centuries.

Avoid Using Significant Names and Dates in Your Passwords

We love family and friends, but not in passwords. Names, anniversaries, and birthdays of loved ones - are to be remembered, but in no way related to your passwords. It's the first thing crooks look for in social media profiles and other sites when hacking into accounts.

How Can I Keep My Password Safe?

It's not enough to create a strong password. It's also important to take steps to keep your password safe from things like data breaches and phishing attacks. Here are some things you should do to keep your password secure:

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1. Change Your Passwords Regularly

Create a monthly reminder to change your passwords. Data breaches are rarely made public immediately, and if your password was involved in one that hasn't been made public yet, by changing it regularly, you could avoid the mess that comes along with compromised accounts when criminals use stolen credentials from the data breach.  

2. Don't Use the Same Passwords For Multiple Accounts

If one account is hacked, if you've used the same (or similar) password for any other accounts that you have, those accounts should be assumed to be compromised as well. Always make sure to use a different password for each account that you have, especially your financial accounts. Consider using a password manager if you aren't sure that you can remember multiple passwords.

3. Never Share Your Password With Others

Never share your password with others. This includes the support staff for websites that you use. They cannot see your password and should not ask you for your password. They have tools behind the scenes that allow them to help you manage your account without the use of your password.

4. Use Multi-Factor Authentication When Available

Multi-factor authentication makes it harder for criminals to access your accounts, even if they have your login credentials. It requires that you provide an additional means of verifying your identity before access to your account is provided, such as by entering a security code sent to you by text or email.

5. Install Browser Protection

Browser protection is among the cutting edge of online safety technology. Products like Guardio scan each of the websites that you visit and extensions that you add to ensure that they're free of malicious code and scams. They catch things like phishing pages and keyloggers that often go unnoticed, even to the savviest individuals. When a malicious site or extension is found, these products block the offending website or extension and let you know why. They also alert you when a website that you're visiting is still too new to be trusted. Browser Protection keeps you safe by stopping threats BEFORE they reach your device, instead of afterward like traditional antivirus solutions.

6. Activate Live Account Monitoring

While you may be taking steps to stay safe online yourself, this doesn't mean that everyone else is doing the same. The news headlines are full of reports of major websites experiencing data breaches, but only a small number of these breaches are made known to the public. Companies hide breaches every day for fear of the negative attention and loss of business that comes with their violation of customers' trust. Guardio offers account monitoring that can alert you right away if your account information was shared online or on the dark web for criminals to access so that you know to begin taking action to protect yourself right away.

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Conclusion

Password security goes far beyond creating a strong combination of letters and symbols, it’s about maintaining good habits and using protective tools. By creating long, complex passwords, changing them regularly, and avoiding reuse across multiple accounts, you significantly reduce your risk. Adding extra layers of security like multi-factor authentication and browser protection provides further defense against cyber threats. Staying alert and using modern tools for monitoring and prevention ensures your personal data remains secure in an increasingly digital world.

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In 2024, phishing was the top reported cybercrime to the FBI’s IC3, showing how widespread fake login pages and credential theft have become. (Source: FBI Internet Crime Report 2024)

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Make sure you have a personal safety plan in place. If you believe someone is stalking you online and may be putting you at risk of harm, don’t remove suspicious apps or confront the stalker without a plan. The Coalition Against Stalkerware provides a list of resources for anyone dealing with online stalking, monitoring, and harassment.

Guardio Security Team
Guardio’s Security Team researches and exposes cyber threats, keeping millions of users safe online. Their findings have been featured by Fox News, The Washington Post, Bleeping Computer, and The Hacker News, making the web safer — one threat at a time.
Tips from the expert

Pro Tip: Use “Fake” Logins to Expose Password-Stealing Sites

One clever trick to spot phishing pages before giving away your real password? Use a decoy login. Here’s how it works:

  1. Enter a fake email and gibberish password first. If the site accepts it or redirects you, it’s probably a scam.
  2. Legit login pages will always show an error, like “incorrect password.” If you don’t get an error, stop right there.
  3. Check the URL again. If it’s slightly off (like paypaI.com with an “I” instead of an “l”), that’s a classic phishing red flag.

This takes under 10 seconds and could save you from giving hackers your actual credentials.

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FAQs

How can I tell if my saved passwords are already compromised?

You can check if your passwords have been leaked using real-time breach monitoring.

  • Connect your email to Guardio’s identity monitoring to get alerts if any of your passwords are exposed in a breach.
  • Review your leak history on Guardio’s dashboard and change any reused or weak passwords immediately.
  • Add multiple emails to your monitoring list so Guardio can cover more ground.

To get started, add your emails to Guardio’s monitoring list.

What’s a fast way to upgrade all my weak passwords without losing track?

Use a password manager alongside Guardio's leak detection for a smart reset.

  • Export a list of compromised or reused passwords from your browser or password manager.
  • Prioritize high-risk accounts like banking, email, and cloud storage for immediate updates.
  • Turn on Guardio's real-time alerts to stay ahead of future breaches while you update.
  • Use passphrases, combine random words + symbols to make them memorable and secure.

Learn more about setting up critical breach alerts with Guardio.

What should I do if I accidentally entered my password on a suspicious site?

Act fast: change your password, enable 2FA, and scan for deeper risks.

  • Change the password immediately for that account and any reused ones.
  • Turn on multi-factor authentication (MFA) if the site offers it.
  • Use Guardio to scan for malware or phishing that might have followed the scam.
  • Report the site to Guardio to protect others from falling for the same trick.

Use Guardio’s guide on what to do after a data leak.

What new phishing tricks are targeting password logins in 2025?

Hackers are getting sneaky with AI-generated login pages and fake MFA requests.

  • Beware of fake “security alerts” that mimic popular services asking you to log in urgently.
  • Look for subtle URL changes, like swapping an “l” for a capital “I” (e.g., paypaI.com).
  • Guardio can block these fake sites in real time before they even load.
  • Watch out for voice or text MFA scams, where crooks try to get your code live.
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