Passwords – your digital lock

Passwords are the key to your digital life. They protect your emails, social media, bank information, photos and everything else you have online. Yet passwords are often the weakest link in our digital security – because we choose them too quickly, too easily and reuse them far too many places.

Many think: "I’ve never been hacked, so it probably won’t happen to me." But it's like saying, "I’ve never had a break-in, so I don’t need to lock the door." When it does happen, the consequences can be severe: loss of money, loss of memories, identity theft or misuse of your accounts.

Why are passwords important?

Imagine someone gains access to your email. With just one account a hacker can:

  • reset your passwords for other services
  • read confidential messages
  • access documents and photos
  • contact others in your name and scam them

Your passwords are the only thing standing between you and someone who wants to use your information for their own benefit.

PASSWORD1

Typical mistakes – and why they are dangerous

Far too many people use passwords that are easy to guess. We want to remember them easily – but that also makes it easy for others to break them.

Examples of weak passwords you should avoid:

  • 12345678
  • password
  • abc12345
  • qwerty12
  • your own name or birthdate
  • the name of your child or pet
  • simple words like: SummerCode, WinterCode, Christmas, Sunshine, Welcome
  • passwords with year numbers, e.g. Summer2022, Julie2010

Hackers use programs that can try millions of known passwords and combinations per second. If your password contains something that can be guessed from your Facebook profile, it's not secure.

PASSWORD2

What makes a password strong?

A strong password must be hard to guess – for both humans and machines. It should:

  • be at least 12 characters long
  • contain uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and special characters
  • not be a real word from the dictionary
  • not contain personal information
  • not be used in multiple places

Example of a strong password:

N6p!dR0x@vZ#4kWq

It looks incomprehensible – but that's the point. And you don't have to remember it yourself. A password manager will take care of it.

Use a password manager

It's unrealistic to remember many strong passwords. That's why it's recommended to use a password manager, which stores your passwords securely and can generate new strong passwords for you.

  • Proton Pass
  • Bitwarden
  • 1Password
  • LastPass
  • NordPass
  • iCloud Keychain (on Apple devices)

You only need to remember one strong master password. The password manager takes care of the rest.

PASSWORD3

Good habits around passwords

Password security is not just about the individual password, but also about how you use it. Here are some good habits:

  • Use different passwords for different accounts
  • Change passwords if you suspect they have leaked
  • Never share your passwords with others
  • Pay attention to warnings from your browser or password manager
  • Avoid writing your passwords down in note apps, emails or on paper
  • Use two-factor authentication (see next section)

Passwords alone are not enough

Even a strong password can be stolen – for example through data leaks, viruses or phishing. Therefore you should always combine your passwords with two-factor authentication wherever possible.

Two-factor acts as an extra lock on your account and can stop hackers even if they know your password.

Read more about why two-factor is important and how to enable it: 👉 Two-factor authentication guide

Remember: It's about you

Passwords may seem technical and cumbersome, but in reality it's about protecting your privacy, relationships and identity. It's a small effort with a big effect.

When you take your passwords seriously, you show that you take yourself seriously.