Security is one of our main focuses here at Runbiz, however, in the end it is your decision on how safe you want to keep your information.
One thing people don’t consider when making a username and password for a new account is if it is safe enough to not be so easily decoded. Your password and username should be unique but also professional.
Do NOT Use Personal Information
This should be the most obvious, however, there are still people out there who will continuously make this mistake. Last names, birthdates or anything similar to these should NEVER be used. Not only is easier to figure out, it is also your personal information that is put on display if included as your username.
Avoid Using Real Words
This may sound crazy but it is true and should be taken seriously: it is very common for hackers nowadays to flip through an entire dictionary in order to figure out your password. Don’t be the person who thinks it’s hilarious to use “password” as their password. Try throwing in a Z where an S should be and using numbers as letters.
Mix it Up
Your password is much safer when you use a mixture of different characters. Include uppercase, lowercase, numbers and other special characters as well. Try using a good combination throughout the whole password. Another common mistake when mixing up characters is to put an uppercase at the very beginning. Hackers usually catch that because it becomes so common for people to put it at beginning rather than in the middle or the end.
Try to Use a Acronym
Trying to remember a password can be tricky and can cause frustration. Using a paraphrase can be an easier method to come up with a solid password. Think of a sentence, lyrics to a song, poem or verse that is the most memorable to you and take the first letter from each word and combine it together. It also helps to substitute a number for a word that spells out or is similar to a number (i.e. 2 for two/to).
A Password Should NOT be Used More than Once
If you have multiple logins and each account has sensitive information, do NOT repeat the use of your passwords. If a hacker is able to retrieve one of your accounts login information then he will likely try and use the same information to gain access to your other accounts. This applies to your username as well.
NEVER Give Your Login Information to Anyone
Login details should never be given to anyone, even if you know them. Your information could easily be lost or fall into the wrong hands. There have also been a series of fake phone calls by hackers who will try to trick you into thinking they are an IT service who need your information in order to override an issue. If this happens to you do not follow their instructions, call your regular IT service provider and have them run a security scan on your computer.
An Unsecured Wi-Fi Source Is Not Safe
The most exciting thing in the world is when a restaurant or store has free Wi-Fi. However, because it is free to the public that means it is highly exposed to any hackers who are using the same network as you. If you are using a free Wi-Fi network be careful not to login into any accounts while online.
Please keep these tips in mind as you make new accounts and also adjust the ones you currently have if you feel they aren’t secure enough.