If you have one password for all of your accounts, it’s time for some changes in your cybersecurity game. As Ponemon Institute’s research suggests, most people use a single password for more than five different accounts. Habits like this can severely decrease the security of your accounts and lead to a potential password breach.

In recent years, companies have been putting a lot of effort into developing more sophisticated biometric technology to improve their security strategy. Most of the devices that we use daily have some biometric feature built into them. Face and voice recognition features are slowly replacing fingerprint features on mobile devices, while some financial companies have started to include iris recognition as a new authentication method.

Tips to secure your passwords

To help you single out what’s important, we came up with a list of the top security tips to help with protecting your credentials.

1.    Start using a password manager

According to Ponemon Institute’s research, 59 percent of organizations rely exclusively on human memory to handle passwords. Since we often can’t remember what we ate for breakfast that day, it doesn’t seem like the best option. For that reason, consider switching to a password manager.

A password manager is an excellent option for keeping all of your credentials in one place.

It’s a foolproof system that stores your passwords and gives easier access to various accounts. Most password managers store the data in a virtual vault that you can access from different devices. Also, you’ll have to come up with a single password that will grant you access to all of your data. Keep in mind that if you lose the password of your password manager, you won’t be able to enter your accounts. It’s one password to rule them all.

2.    Use a VPN

A Virtual Private Network or a VPN can significantly improve your overall security. A VPN creates an encrypted tunnel between you and the internet provider and protects you from potential intruders who want to steal your data. In addition to that, a VPN is an excellent option for those who want more privacy because it will hide the actual IP address and assign you another one. In that way, nobody can trace your online activities back to you, and you can enjoy surfing the web without any restrictions.

3.    Choose a unique password for every account

Using the same password across multiple accounts is one of the most dangerous practices since it could expose all of your accounts to potential cyberattacks. Create a unique password for every account you have and make sure it’s a strong one.

When creating a password, make sure to follow these rules:

• Choose a random but memorable phrase (not shorter than eight letters),
• Combine letters and numbers (e.g., p4pr1k4, instead of paprika),
• Don’t use personal information (name, date of birth, pet’s name)

4.    The 2FA approach

Two-factor authentication or 2FA represents one of the pillars of a good security strategy.

Since passwords are not the most reliable protection, the 2FA imposes a second layer of security – often biometric factors like fingerprints or facial scans. Consequently, the chances of breaking into your accounts are going to drop since it’s much more complex, if not impossible, to come by your fingerprint.\

Securing your accounts is going to be even more challenging in the future. Therefore, the first step in designing a resilient security system is educating yourself about the threats and all possible strategies you can undertake. There is no universal tactic – everyone has specific needs and preferences. Start with including these pieces of advice into your security plan and build up from there!