Your passwords are the key to a host of information about you, and potentially those close to you. If someone can access your personal information, it can have serious long-term effects—and not just online! Follow these recommendations from the World Password Day website at https://www.passwordday.org to protect your identity while making the Internet more secure for everyone:
- Use a passphrase instead of a password. Passphrases are usually 16 characters or more and include a combination of words or short sentence that is easy to remember (e.g., MaryHadALittleLamb!)
- Use a fingerprint or biometric requirement to sign in when available. This provides an extra layer of protection for devices and apps.
- Request single-use authentication codes that can be sent to your phone or delivered by an app.
- Take advantage of whatever multifactor authentication (MFA) methods are available for your service. Learn more about adding MFA to any account at https://www.lockdownyourlogin.org/.
- Use a password manager or password vault software to help keep track of all your passwords and avoid password reuse.
Visit https://cybersecurity.osu.edu/ for additional information about passwords and authentication at Ohio State.
