Cybersecurity Tip of the Week – Cybersecurity Basics, Step 1: Password Management

According to the National Cybersecurity Alliance, there are four cybersecurity basics everyone should use for online safety. For the next four weeks, we'll be discussing each of these basics.

This week is about PASSWORDS. Your passwords are the first line of defense between a criminal and your sensitive information.

Here's how to have amazing passwords:

• Every password must be long, unique, and complex. Nowadays, every password should be at least 16 characters long, which significantly overwhelms password-cracking programs. Use a random mix of letters, numbers, and symbols. And every account needs a unique password.

• Don't reuse passwords! Every account needs a unique password. Unfortunately, making little changes, like adding numbers or switching out an S with a $, doesn't count as a unique password.

• Use a password manager to store and generate strong passwords. If you're wondering how to manage so many unique, long passwords, the answer is a password manager! There are many free, secure options. Password managers are the safest way to store your passwords.

Do you like these weekly tips? If you've missed some, are new to the university, or want to search for a tip on a certain topic, these are all stored in our Tip Archive.