Stop compromising your online security and take the password pledge on World Password Day!

Are you still using your pet’s name, ‘123456’ or ‘abc123’ as your password to secure your accounts and digital identity? How about reusing the same password for multiple online accounts?

On this World Password Day, it’s time we change that!

Cybersecurity begins with discovering the cracks and weak points in your security management and finding the END resolve to lock them down and prevent disaster. Acknowledging poor password practices and management is where it all begins.

Why are passwords so important?

Passwords are the gatekeepers to all things “you.” They help prevent unauthorized access to your online accounts and personal information.

Think about it like this:

People go to great lengths to secure their homes and valuables against thieves in the physical world. They install high-tech security cameras, motion sensors, and quality locks, invest in burglar alarms, or add metal bars and grills to block intruders from gaining access into their homes.

Things are no different in cyberspace. An intruder or cybercriminal wants access to your accounts, which house precious information and money. However, most of the time, the attacker will find little to no resistance and benefit from seamless and easy access to your digital assets, all because of poor password management.

Let’s put this into perspective. According to our latest survey, password management is one of the weakest security points for consumers. Some 37% of digital citizens state that they write down their passwords, 15.8% use the same password for at least two accounts, and 18.7% reuse the same password for three or more accounts.

How can passwords save the day and prevent risks to your identity, money, job, and livelihood?

Good password habits protect the currency of the digital world—the data of billions of consumers. If compromised, this information is highly profitable, being sold and resold on dedicated underground forums where greedy cybercriminals continuously line their pockets.

World Password Day is a reminder of the importance of creating and maintaining strong passwords to prevent misuse and account takeovers that could ruin your financial security and reputation.

Take the Password Day pledge today, adopt the best password habits, and layer up on your security to protect your online shopping, dating, banking, social media, or work accounts:

• Create strong passwords -- passwords beginning from 16 characters are considered best
• Always use a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters alongside numbers and symbols
• Never use words found in the dictionary, or your name, your pet’s name, your birthday, or the name of the school you or any of your family members went to. Passwords should not be easy to guess or include your name in any form, license plate numbers, social security numbers or any other identifiable information
• Make passwords unique for each online account
• Always conduct a password reset for accounts you notice any suspicious activity.
• Always change passwords if you receive a data breach notice or discover that your PII was part of a data breach.

Struggling to remember all of the online accounts created over the years or worried about how data breaches can impact you? Check out Bitdefender’s Digital Identity Protection. You can find old accounts linked to up to 5 email addresses, manage your digital footprint, and stay on top of data breaches with 24/7 alerts.

• Avoid writing down passwords on sticky notes and notebooks. Sticky notes at the office are not a viable solution for storing your passwords. Your visitors or colleagues could get their hands on them. Notebooks and diaries can easily be lost and end up in the wrong hands
• Add any additional layer of security on your accounts by always enabling 2FA and MFA

Are you tired of memorizing passwords or unsure if the one you chose is good enough?

Try Bitdefender’s Password Manager, which helps you create memorable and hard-to-guess passwords with just a few clicks.

Get rid of your password management struggles and any security oversights with our cross-platform tool that gives you much-needed peace of mind and convenience with features such as:

• Password generator to create secure complex, and unique passwords for every new online account
• Password quality check features that alert you if a password requires immediate attention
• Strongest encryption protocols to ensure the security of your data and much more