How To Protect Your Passwords, Guide for College Students 

Everything we need is practically online. If we want to send messages to our family and friends, we can do it over the internet. If you want to pay your bills and access your school portal, you can do so online. Obviously, these things require login credentials or passwords.  

Unfortunately, there are many people who would try to hack your account and use it to their advantage. And so, it is crucial that we talk about how you are going to protect your password all the time.  

Never Share It  

This one is an obvious tip. But many of us are too trusting. We give it to our classmates and to our friends even if it is risky. As a rule of thumb, you should never share your password with anyone.  

Choose A Hard To Decode Password  

When creating a password, stay away from the obvious ones like ‘password’ or ‘123456’. If you are to create one, make sure that it is not related to what you usually do or not related to the people around you. Stay away from the name of your kids, your birthdate, your favorite restaurant, or your nickname as a child. 

Limit Your Social Media Posts  

This might seem like an odd tip. But if you want to protect your password or your life in general, you shouldn’t post a lot of things about your life on social media. It could give people a clue about what you like and they can eventually decode your password.  

Trust us, hackers are way sophisticated than we think. They can figure things easily by just merely observing your behavior online.  

Maximize Multifactor Authentication  

Many websites and companies are requiring their users to use multifactor authentication when logging in. That means you will need to have an additional step if you wish to successfully log in to their website. Sometimes, they will send a code to your number and you will have to input it.  

Yes, it could take a while. But if we are talking about safety, then it’s all worth it.  

Use Biometrics If Possible  

We also encourage you to use biometrics. This is ideal, most especially if you always forget your password. And obviously, there’s no one who could access your account unless you allow them to or you open it for them.  

Avoid Using Single Password For All Your Accounts 

We know that this is a common practice, but you have to stay away from it. If you want to protect your account, we recommend having different passwords for all your accounts. That way, if ever one of your accounts is hacked, others will stay safe and secure.  

Change Your Password Regularly  

If you are using the same password for years, then we recommend that you change it. Some are doing it yearly, but because of the number of hackers, it’s better to do so more frequently.  

Be Careful When Opening Emails  

There are many dangerous emails that you have to stay away from. Never click a link unless you are sure about the source. Most likely, they are going to steal your information.  

Log Out From Your Accounts  

If you are using a public computer, make sure that you will log out everything once you are done. You will never know who’s going to use next, and they might steal your information.  

How To Know If You’ve Been Hacked  

Sometimes, you will just realize that you have been hacked but it’s already too late. What are the red flags or signs that you have been a victim?  

• You received a fake antivirus message  
• You are seeing a lot of popups 
• Your old password isn’t working  
• You receive a notification about an unusual behavior on your account  

What To Do If Someone Hacks Your Account  

Just in case your account has been hacked, you have to act on it right away. You’d never know how much information the person was able to lift from it. This information could be used against you.  

Report It  

Whether it’s your social media account, email, or online banking account, report that you have been hacked right away. This is to deactivate your accounts and it will remain useless for the hackers.  

You need to be smart enough to protect your password. It’s not just about the money or the network that you will lose. In worst cases, it can put your life in danger. Don’t let that happen.