CHARLOTTE, N.C. — October is Cyber Security Awareness Month, which is a perfect time to make sure your passwords are actually protecting you.
According to cybersecurity company Lookout, on average 80% of consumers have had their email leaked on the dark web. The first line of defense is your password. That’s why it’s crucial to make sure your password is in fact, protecting you.
Here are 4 steps to protect your password according to the experts at Lookout:
Avoid public information.
Your password should not include birthdays, anniversaries or any other information that can be found online.
Get creative.
A strong password should be a combination of both lower and upper case letters, numbers and special characters.
Don’t repeat.
Every account needs its own unique password. This limits the scope of your exposure in the event you get hacked.
Add protection.
Use multi-factor authentication on every account it’s offered. This additional step provides another layer of security.
Contact Carolyn Bruck at cbruck@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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