The first step is often to create a secure password. We all have far more passwords than we need. Strong passwords, despite their simplicity, are a prerequisite for effective security. The easiest first step to a secure web presence is to use strong passwords for your web, FTP and data servers.<\/p>\n
What are the characteristics of a secure password? <\/strong><\/p>\n - A three-character password is far less secure than a six- or eight-character password. As a rule of thumb, never use a password that is less than eight characters long.<\/p>\n - Do not use the default password.<\/p>\n - Never use a password that is a word from a dictionary. One of the most common ways to break into a system is to run scripts that try to guess your password from dictionary phrases. The less your password resembles a dictionary word, the less likely it is that someone will guess it.<\/p>\n - Insert numbers and special characters in your message.<\/p>\n - Avoid repeating numbers, characters or sequences such as 12345678, bbbbbbb or 7777777<\/p>\n - Never use your user name as a password or a combination thereof. Do not use your domain name as a password either.<\/p>\n - Do not use \"4ufromme\" or \"n0t@home\" as alternatives that look the same.<\/p>\n - Use the entire keyboard and concentrate on the less frequently used keys.<\/p>\n - Create unique passwords for each account. If you use the same password for all your accounts, several accounts may have been compromised at the same time.<\/p>\n - Never use an empty password.<\/p>\n