Earlier this month Mark Zuckerberg’s LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter accounts were briefly hacked. It seems that he made the same mistake that many people do online: he used the same password across his social media accounts. Once a hacker got hold of his online password for one account, they were able to log in to his other accounts. Ouch.
Use different online passwords for different accounts
You may claim that your online password is hard to guess and complex. That’s great, but hackers can get access to it through larger data breaches where they get all the login accounts for a particular site. For example, LinkedIn was hacked in 2012, and passwords for nearly 6.5 million user accounts were stolen by Russian cybercriminals. So having one complex password is not sufficient.
To check if your login information has ever been hacked, go to Have I Been Pwned and enter your email address, or login username. The site will tell you if your user credentials were involved in any data breaches. If they were, it’s highly recommended that you change your online password. ASAP.
How to remember all these passwords
So how do you remember different passwords for different sites? Many recommend using online password management tools like LastPass or 1Password. Personally, I don’t feel comfortable using these tools because everything is hackable, and if someone were to hack my account in one of these tools, they’d have the logins to all my accounts around the web. Scary. And in fact, LastPass has been breached. So…this might not be the best solution.
There are various techniques for creating memorable, unique passwords for your different accounts. For example, here’s one solution that involves creating a unique core password that you can remember, and adding the name of the service to that password. You can search online for terms like “remembering different passwords” and the like to see more techniques.
Bottom line: don’t be like Mark Zuckerberg, and use different passwords!!
Watch this whole tutorial and tip as a video:
Web tip of the day: use different passwords for your online accounts!
Posted by Miriam Schwab on Monday, June 13, 2016
Ready to take your business to the next level? Contact us today to create customized applications that enhance productivity, engage customers, and drive revenue!
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it important to use different passwords for different accounts?
Using the same password across multiple accounts increases the risk of a hack. If a hacker gains access to one account, they can use the same credentials to access your other accounts. This is what happened with Mark Zuckerberg when his accounts were hacked.
Can a strong password still be hacked?
Yes, even complex passwords can be compromised if they are used across multiple accounts. Data breaches, like the 2012 LinkedIn hack, can expose your credentials and allow hackers to access your accounts.
How can I check if my login credentials have been compromised?
Visit Have I Been Pwned and enter your email address or username. The site will tell you if your credentials were part of a known data breach.
What should I do if my credentials have been compromised in a breach?
If you find that your login information has been compromised, change your password immediately for all affected accounts. It’s best to choose a unique password for each account going forward.
How can I remember multiple online passwords for different sites?
You can use memory techniques, like creating a core password that’s easy to remember and adding unique identifiers for each service. Alternatively, you can use online password management tools, but be cautious, as these can also be hacked.
