Every time you sign up to a Web service, social networking site or online platform you face the same problem: What password should I use? Your passwords should be easy to remember but strong at the same time. And not only that, sometimes you are even requested to mix upper and lower case letters, numbers, or even non-alphanumeric characters (punctuation) to make your password harder to guess by an attacker.

In fact, all these requests aim at forcing users to use a character combination strong enough to prevent it from being cracked by a hacker. However, users frequently prefer the convenience of using the same password for everything (with some variations depending on whether they need numbers or letters), which poses an important security risk.

password tools

First, avoid using passwords that are easy to figure out. It is true that memorizing more complex passwords can be more difficult, but it obviously can be done.

Better still, you don’t even need to do that! There are many applications out there that can give you a hand with managing your passwords.

That’s the case of Dashlane, a free app available for PC, Android and iOS that allows users to check the security of their passwords and store them in one place.

keyboard password

This way it is the app that remembers all passwords for you, while you only have to remember the master password that enables you to use Dashlane and its password repository.

Another excellent option, apart from memorizing all of your passwords or managing them through apps such as Dashlane, is to opt for the greater security level provided by suites such as Panda Global Protection 2015 or Panda Gold Protection 2015, which include a password manager that enables you to access all the Web services that you use by just remembering one master password. Additionally, both security suites increase computer protection with features such as file encryption and PC tuneup.

password

In any event, there are other aspects that must be taken into consideration when creating a password. Most of them are just common sense. Never write down passwords on a piece of paper; don’t use the same password over and over again; and don’t use passwords that are easy to guess, like your date of birth or your kid’s or pet’s names. Also, it is essential that you change your passwords regularly.

Why so much fuss about passwords? Well, it wouldn’t be the first time that the leak of data belonging to millions of user accounts compromises the security of popular services such as Gmail or Dropbox, for example. So, if you don’t want to be the victim of identity and data theft, we strongly recommend that you take the appropriate security measures and manage all your passwords as effectively as possible. As the saying goes, better safe than sorry!