Create Secure
Passwords
to Keep Hackers off your
Social Media Pages
Did you know you have a pair of golden keys in your
hands? The keys are passwords to your social media
platforms. And guess who wants those keys? Hackers.
• Use a sentence you will remember, but
again use numbers, letters, capital letters
and symbols. Example: DoyouLoveicecream&
cake4ever!
• Check the strength of your password at
Password Checker Online. This free web
tool site will let you know if your password
is strong or random enough: http://password
checker.online-domain-tools.com/
Change your passwords on a
consistent basis
Are you guilty of not changing your
password for several months or even
years? That is a big mistake.
You have to keep one step ahead of the
hackers. Try to change your passwords at
least every two months. Put a sticky note
on your computer to remind you.
Also, don’t keep your list of passwords
on your computer. What if it gets stolen?
It’s all right to be old school. Write your
passwords down on a piece of paper
and keep it in a safe place at home.
Good luck!
LS
Rebecca Aguilar is a
multiple award-winning
journalist and social
media leader. Aguilar
is also the founder of the
largest Latina virtual
networking group “Wise
Latinas Linked” on
Facebook and LinkedIn.
Follow her on twitter
@RebeccaAguilar
Want to comment or have any questions on this
article? Email us at info@latinastyle.com
By Rebecca Aguilar
Once hackers get into your social media
platforms they can latch on to your friends
and followers and create havoc by spreading
misinformation and viruses.
According to a University of Phoenix
study, nearly two-thirds of U.S. Adults with
social media accounts say they have been
hacked. The sample of 2,088 social media
users also revealed the following:
• 84 percent of adults have at least one
social media account.
• 58 percent believe their data on their social
media platforms is somewhat or very secure.
• 58 percent check their security settings
once a month.
Keep them guessing
Hackers don’t need much to figure out
your password. All they have to do is find
your favorite posts and they get the idea.
Here are some common mistakes to avoid:
• Don’t use the names of your children,
grandchildren or even spouse. All hackers
have to do is look at your photos and figure
out the names.
• Avoid using the name of your favorite
sports team. Didn’t you mention the team
during the Super Bowl or March Madness?
• It’s not a good idea to use the name of your
company or your career choice. Hackers
know you’re a real estate agent, journalist,
or other professional from your profile.
• Numbers in a row are not a good idea. It’s
easy to guess “1234” or “5678” or “11111”
• Keep away from common expressions
like “Ioveyou," “Thankyou” and even
“GodBlessYou.” Hackers have a list of
favorite phrases.
• Your current city or where you were born
are predictable. Best not to use them.
• Do you have a favorite product? Don’t use
it for a password “RiceCrispies” “Coke”
“Cookies” or “icecream” are easy to figure out.
Strong, long passwords are
worth it
With a little creativity you can keep hackers
off your social media pages. Start creating
strong passwords. Also use different
passwords for most or all of your social
media pages.
• The longer the better. Create passwords
with at least 12 to 15 characters.
• Mix it up. Those 15 characters should
include numbers, letters, capital letters
and symbols.
32 www.latinastyle.com LATINAStyle Vol. 24, No. 2, 2018
/checker.online-domain-tools.com
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