Passwords Part 2: Why You Really Should Use Different Passwords for Everything
Ugh!
I know, it’s terribly hard to remember all those passwords. And you’ve heard it a hundred times, but can it really be so bad to have the same password for everything?
Yes!
Here’s why:
All these companies that you log into online, big and small, are completely hackable. Not only are they hackable in theory, they are hacked ALL THE TIME! User login information is stolen in droves, and that means YOUR information is stolen.
Let’s say you log into your favorite fitness app with your e-mail (John.Smith123@gmail.com) and your favorite, often used password (watermelon), and that fitness app gets hacked. They now have your e-mail and password! The first thing they’ll do is see if that password works for anything else. Can that password get into your Gmail? Can the user name and password combination get into your social media? Your Paypal? Your bank?
If you’re like the majority of people out there, the answer is yes because you’ve used the same password for everything!
And no, don’t write all your passwords on sticky notes either! Here’s what you should do:
Use a password manager like 1Password or LastPass. These are super secure apps that remember all your passwords so that you don’t have to. You simply log into these apps with one super password that you have to remember, then you can copy your very different passwords for every sight you log into from these apps. Don’t worry, they make it very simple. Once you’re all set up it’s as easy as entering your password manager’s password and then clicking on the site you want to log into, and it does the rest.
Plus they generate complex passwords for you, so you don’t have to try and come up with hundreds of different password combinations!
This is far more secure than letting Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer or Safari remember your passwords since you still have to log into these apps with that one password you have to remember. In other words, someone can’t just steal your laptop and suddenly have access to all your social media accounts this way. And at around $40-60 per year, it’s an affordable way to stay secure online.
Want to see if your account info has been stolen or not? You can do that!
Just go to HaveIBeenPwned.com, enter your e-mail address, and they’ll tell you which websites you use have been hacked. At the very least, you should change these passwords immediately!
Need help setting up a password manager? Have other questions? Contact J-BIT Tech for more information.
Note: Password managers, and the above-mentioned websites and apps are not in any way affiliated with J-BIT Tech.
