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Unforgettable, that's what you are. Your password, I'll bet, is something you forget all the time though, right?
Well you're not alone, as the majority of us have had to hit that shameful "I've forgotten" button at least once when simply trying to pay a bill or place an order. Surely there are better ways of tackling this issue than the standard "familypetname2021" format we're all so accustomed to?
The concept of using a word or phrase to ascertain a person's credentials or intent is far from a modern one; the earliest recorded examples reaching back as far as the seventh century BC.
Passwords, when talking about computers (which I've been known to do...), as we know and love them today, have been around since the sixties.
Worthy of note is it actually took around five years for encryption to be developed for these passwords, prior to this it was totally feasible for one user to glance over a file containing every password for a given system.
As more and more data has become electronically accessible over the years, the amount of login information an individual has to remember has skyrocketed.
So why is recollection so tricky here? Well the issue is partially that we've been conditioned to think up passwords which aren't necessarily more secure, but are much harder to remember.
Random upper case letters, a "3" instead of an "e."
These practices, while commonplace, represent an incredibly outdated way of looking at information security. The issue is compounded further by using words we don't think we'll forget, such as our own names or the names of our family members.
These factors add up to a password which isn't super memorable at all, but still quite easy for a sketchy individual with a computer to obtain. Not ideal.
Memorability is a huge factor when it comes to designing login policies for any given system.
One in four people forget at least one password at least once a day, subsequently choosing to either reset it or avoid logging in altogether.
Advances in biometrics have helped alleviate the issue somewhat, with face and fingerprint unlock gaining ground on traditional methods, but often these don't totally replace the need for classic login information.
Two factor authentication, wherein a user typically receives a text message containing a numeric pin, can also help make things more secure. In this case, a person would need access to both your compromised password and your mobile device in order to successfully impersonate you.
But for now, we still need good practices when it comes to our password usage.
My advice has always been to use words or phrases which you might naturally use in your everyday language.
A simple sentence contains uppercase, lowercase, and non-alphanumeric characters - the usual requirements for most systems.
A passphrase like this sticks in your mind better and is actually more secure than a shorter, "P@55w0Rd" style equivalent. You really should be using a different password for everything you log in to, as well. Don't hate me.
What this does is limit the damage felt from a compromised account. If someone has your login for Hulu, that same one isn't going to grant them access to your bank account.
If you're still struggling, password managers are a great option. These apps allow you to keep all of your logins in one place, typically behind multiple layers of security but at the same time lessening your burden for remembering individual credentials.
Apple and Android smartphones have these built-in, but several reputable cross platform offerings exist too.
We can't expect anything to be impenetrable, but being smarter about the way we treat our logins?
That's the real "s3CrEt"..
Richard Noble is the founder of Want For Tech, an IT company based in Glasgow.
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