Regular Password Checkups Keep You Safe Online

Regular Password Checkups Keep You Safe Online

Keeping your accounts safe starts with using strong, unique passwords - and maintaining them over time. The University of Minnesota recommends a password or passphrase of at least 16 characters of unrelated characters or words like RedPaintedBrokenFence.

A few tips from UMN IT:

• Use a different password for every account.

• Store passwords in a secure password manager.

• Turn on two-factor authentication (2FA) where possible.

• Update passwords regularly, especially if there’s a security breach or if you’ve shared access.

Avoid predictable passwords like 123456, your birthday, or your pet’s name. And never reuse the same password across sites.

Keeping your passwords fresh, strong, and stored securely is one of the simplest ways to protect your data. For more, visit UMN's guide for choosing strong passwords.

Article by Karen Matthes, Extension Learning Technologies, klm@umn.edu