{"componentChunkName":"component---src-templates-blog-post-tsx","path":"/why-your-password-habits-are-putting-you-at-risk","result":{"data":{"site":{"siteMetadata":{"siteUrl":"https://guard.io","title":"Browser Protection | Data & Privacy Security | Guardio Personal Blog"},"pathPrefix":"/blog"},"contentfulBlogPost":{"slug":"why-your-password-habits-are-putting-you-at-risk","title":"Why your password habits are putting you at risk","metaTitle":"The Risks of Weak Passwords: How to Create Strong Passwords and Keep Your Online Accounts Secure","showExitPop":false,"descriptionMeta":{"childMarkdownRemark":{"rawMarkdownBody":"Google released the findings of a survey on password security. The survey found that many Americans are putting their personal data at risk."}},"description":{"childMarkdownRemark":{"rawMarkdownBody":"Google released the findings of a survey on password security. The survey found that many Americans are putting their personal data at risk."}},"author":{"name":"Guardio Research Team","image":{"fixed":{"src":"//images.ctfassets.net/tdnn4v0n6ild/v5bpOxBzPLUixJR8Zbpua/a751652bd5ea109de649d28d600f9698/Frame_18.png?w=40&h=40&q=50&fit=fill"}}},"coverImage":{"fixed":{"width":810,"height":477,"src":"//images.ctfassets.net/tdnn4v0n6ild/49AlX52ZHnw7Z71ojgUtwh/e29767894b7dda90dec495923b51dab1/Why_your_password_habits_are_putting_you_at_risk_1-min.png?w=810&h=477&q=50&fit=fill"}},"tags":["cyber security","Browser protection","data leak","Online Security"],"publishDate":"2022-09-20T10:00+03:00","publishDateFormatted":"September 20th","body":{"childMarkdownRemark":{"tableOfContents":"","timeToRead":2,"htmlAst":{"type":"element","tagName":"div","properties":{},"children":[{"type":"element","tagName":"p","properties":{},"children":[{"type":"element","tagName":"strong","properties":{},"children":[{"type":"text","value":"Did you know that there's a day to celebrate World Password Day? Yes, it's real! Google released a survey on password security and found that many Americans are putting their personal data at risk by reusing passwords for multiple accounts. If you're the 'I'll-use-my-birthday-password-for-everything' type, you should probably keep reading because we've put together a complete guide on the importance of a strong password and how to create one. In this blog post, we'll discuss some crucial tips that may save you and your privacy from being hacked or exposed online."}]}]},{"type":"element","tagName":"h2","properties":{"id":"protect-your-information-with-a-strong-password","style":"position:relative;"},"children":[{"type":"element","tagName":"a","properties":{"href":"#protect-your-information-with-a-strong-password","ariaLabel":"protect your information with a strong password permalink","className":["anchor","before"]},"children":[{"type":"element","tagName":"svg","properties":{"ariaHidden":"true","focusable":"false","height":"16","version":"1.1","viewBox":"0 0 16 16","width":"16"},"children":[{"type":"element","tagName":"path","properties":{"fillRule":"evenodd","d":"M4 9h1v1H4c-1.5 0-3-1.69-3-3.5S2.55 3 4 3h4c1.45 0 3 1.69 3 3.5 0 1.41-.91 2.72-2 3.25V8.59c.58-.45 1-1.27 1-2.09C10 5.22 8.98 4 8 4H4c-.98 0-2 1.22-2 2.5S3 9 4 9zm9-3h-1v1h1c1 0 2 1.22 2 2.5S13.98 12 13 12H9c-.98 0-2-1.22-2-2.5 0-.83.42-1.64 1-2.09V6.25c-1.09.53-2 1.84-2 3.25C6 11.31 7.55 13 9 13h4c1.45 0 3-1.69 3-3.5S14.5 6 13 6z"},"children":[]}]}]},{"type":"text","value":"Protect your information with a strong password"}]},{"type":"element","tagName":"p","properties":{},"children":[{"type":"text","value":"One of the most common ways people's information gets exposed on the internet is through password reuse. If you use the same password for multiple accounts, and one of those account passwords gets compromised, all of your other accounts are now at risk. That's why it's important to use different passwords for different accounts - that way, if one password is compromised, your other accounts will remain safe.\nAnother way people's information can get exposed is by using weak passwords. A weak password is a password that can be easily guessed by a computer program or human being. The most common weak passwords are dictionary words, names, dates, and simple patterns like 123456 or qwertyuiop. If you're using any of these passwords, it's time to change them!\nTo make your passwords stronger, you should use a mix of upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters. The longer the password, the better. A good rule of thumb is to create passwords that are at least eight characters long.\nAnd don't worry - with a little practice, it'll be easy to remember your new strong passwords."}]},{"type":"element","tagName":"h3","properties":{},"children":[{"type":"text","value":"Run a free security scan in a few clicks"}]},{"type":"element","tagName":"p","properties":{},"children":[{"type":"element","tagName":"strong","properties":{},"children":[{"type":"text","value":"Guardio"}]},{"type":"text","value":" is a Chrome extension that monitors suspicious activity and blocks hackers from stealing your data."}]},{"type":"element","tagName":"call-to-action","properties":{"id":"ad_install","href":"https://guard.io/lp","btn_label":"start free scan","title":"Clean up your browser and prevent future scams"},"children":[{"type":"text","value":"\nProtect yourself from money scams & other online threats, begin with a free scan.\n"}]},{"type":"element","tagName":"h2","properties":{"id":"strong-password--strong-defense","style":"position:relative;"},"children":[{"type":"element","tagName":"a","properties":{"href":"#strong-password--strong-defense","ariaLabel":"strong password strong defense permalink","className":["anchor","before"]},"children":[{"type":"element","tagName":"svg","properties":{"ariaHidden":"true","focusable":"false","height":"16","version":"1.1","viewBox":"0 0 16 16","width":"16"},"children":[{"type":"element","tagName":"path","properties":{"fillRule":"evenodd","d":"M4 9h1v1H4c-1.5 0-3-1.69-3-3.5S2.55 3 4 3h4c1.45 0 3 1.69 3 3.5 0 1.41-.91 2.72-2 3.25V8.59c.58-.45 1-1.27 1-2.09C10 5.22 8.98 4 8 4H4c-.98 0-2 1.22-2 2.5S3 9 4 9zm9-3h-1v1h1c1 0 2 1.22 2 2.5S13.98 12 13 12H9c-.98 0-2-1.22-2-2.5 0-.83.42-1.64 1-2.09V6.25c-1.09.53-2 1.84-2 3.25C6 11.31 7.55 13 9 13h4c1.45 0 3-1.69 3-3.5S14.5 6 13 6z"},"children":[]}]}]},{"type":"text","value":"Strong password = Strong defense"}]},{"type":"element","tagName":"p","properties":{},"children":[{"type":"text","value":"There are two benefits of using strong passwords:\nThe first is that it's more difficult for someone to guess your password. This means that your account is less likely to be compromised "},{"type":"element","tagName":"a","properties":{"href":"https://guard.io/blog/6-ways-to-protect-yourself-from-digital-stalking","target":"_blank","rel":["nofollow"]},"children":[{"type":"text","value":"by a hacker or malicious software."}]},{"type":"text","value":"\nThe second benefit is that it's harder for someone to brute force your password. Brute forcing is a method of trying every possible combination of characters until the correct password is found. The longer and more complex your password, the more time and effort it will take to brute force it - which means your account will be safer from attack."}]},{"type":"element","tagName":"h2","properties":{"id":"how-often-should-you-change-your-passwords","style":"position:relative;"},"children":[{"type":"element","tagName":"a","properties":{"href":"#how-often-should-you-change-your-passwords","ariaLabel":"how often should you change your passwords permalink","className":["anchor","before"]},"children":[{"type":"element","tagName":"svg","properties":{"ariaHidden":"true","focusable":"false","height":"16","version":"1.1","viewBox":"0 0 16 16","width":"16"},"children":[{"type":"element","tagName":"path","properties":{"fillRule":"evenodd","d":"M4 9h1v1H4c-1.5 0-3-1.69-3-3.5S2.55 3 4 3h4c1.45 0 3 1.69 3 3.5 0 1.41-.91 2.72-2 3.25V8.59c.58-.45 1-1.27 1-2.09C10 5.22 8.98 4 8 4H4c-.98 0-2 1.22-2 2.5S3 9 4 9zm9-3h-1v1h1c1 0 2 1.22 2 2.5S13.98 12 13 12H9c-.98 0-2-1.22-2-2.5 0-.83.42-1.64 1-2.09V6.25c-1.09.53-2 1.84-2 3.25C6 11.31 7.55 13 9 13h4c1.45 0 3-1.69 3-3.5S14.5 6 13 6z"},"children":[]}]}]},{"type":"text","value":"How often should you change your passwords?"}]},{"type":"element","tagName":"p","properties":{},"children":[{"type":"text","value":"You should change your passwords every three to six months, or sooner if you suspect that your account has been compromised. To make changing your passwords easier, you can use a password manager like LastPass or Dashlane. These tools will generate strong passwords for you and store them securely so that you don't have to remember them yourself.\nIf you're still not convinced that strong passwords are important, consider this: every year, thousands of people have their personal information exposed on the internet due to weak or reused passwords. By taking some simple steps to improve your password habits, you can help keep your data safe from hackers and identity thieves."}]},{"type":"element","tagName":"h3","properties":{},"children":[{"type":"text","value":"Run a free security scan in a few clicks"}]},{"type":"element","tagName":"p","properties":{},"children":[{"type":"element","tagName":"strong","properties":{},"children":[{"type":"text","value":"Guardio"}]},{"type":"text","value":" is a Chrome extension that monitors suspicious activity and blocks hackers from stealing your data."}]},{"type":"element","tagName":"call-to-action","properties":{"id":"ad_install","href":"https://guard.io/lp","btn_label":"start free scan","title":"Clean up your browser and prevent future scams"},"children":[{"type":"text","value":"\nProtect yourself from money scams & other online threats, begin with a free scan.\n"}]}]}}},"exitPop":null},"allContentfulBlogPost":{"edges":[{"node":{"title":"Steam Tops Q1 2025 Most Imitated Brands, Followed by Surge in Toll Pass Scams","slug":"most-imitated-brands-phishing-scams-q1-2025","coverImage":{"gatsbyImageData":{"images":{"sources":[{"srcSet":"//images.ctfassets.net/tdnn4v0n6ild/4Mok7lbJsosqOCPFo4zWF3/fc64b32b66b36b887ebc7fbd14473a74/most-imitated-brands-q1-2025.jpg?w=110&h=50&q=50&fm=webp 110w,\n//images.ctfassets.net/tdnn4v0n6ild/4Mok7lbJsosqOCPFo4zWF3/fc64b32b66b36b887ebc7fbd14473a74/most-imitated-brands-q1-2025.jpg?w=220&h=100&q=50&fm=webp 220w,\n//images.ctfassets.net/tdnn4v0n6ild/4Mok7lbJsosqOCPFo4zWF3/fc64b32b66b36b887ebc7fbd14473a74/most-imitated-brands-q1-2025.jpg?w=440&h=200&q=50&fm=webp 440w,\n//images.ctfassets.net/tdnn4v0n6ild/4Mok7lbJsosqOCPFo4zWF3/fc64b32b66b36b887ebc7fbd14473a74/most-imitated-brands-q1-2025.jpg?w=880&h=400&q=50&fm=webp 880w","sizes":"(min-width: 440px) 440px, 100vw","type":"image/webp"}],"fallback":{"src":"//images.ctfassets.net/tdnn4v0n6ild/4Mok7lbJsosqOCPFo4zWF3/fc64b32b66b36b887ebc7fbd14473a74/most-imitated-brands-q1-2025.jpg?w=440&h=200&fl=progressive&q=50&fm=jpg","srcSet":"//images.ctfassets.net/tdnn4v0n6ild/4Mok7lbJsosqOCPFo4zWF3/fc64b32b66b36b887ebc7fbd14473a74/most-imitated-brands-q1-2025.jpg?w=110&h=50&fl=progressive&q=50&fm=jpg 110w,\n//images.ctfassets.net/tdnn4v0n6ild/4Mok7lbJsosqOCPFo4zWF3/fc64b32b66b36b887ebc7fbd14473a74/most-imitated-brands-q1-2025.jpg?w=220&h=100&fl=progressive&q=50&fm=jpg 220w,\n//images.ctfassets.net/tdnn4v0n6ild/4Mok7lbJsosqOCPFo4zWF3/fc64b32b66b36b887ebc7fbd14473a74/most-imitated-brands-q1-2025.jpg?w=440&h=200&fl=progressive&q=50&fm=jpg 440w,\n//images.ctfassets.net/tdnn4v0n6ild/4Mok7lbJsosqOCPFo4zWF3/fc64b32b66b36b887ebc7fbd14473a74/most-imitated-brands-q1-2025.jpg?w=880&h=400&fl=progressive&q=50&fm=jpg 880w","sizes":"(min-width: 440px) 440px, 100vw"}},"layout":"constrained","backgroundColor":"#281838","width":440,"height":199.99999999999997}},"tags":null,"publishDate":"April 3rd","body":{"childMarkdownRemark":{"timeToRead":6}},"description":{"childMarkdownRemark":{"excerpt":"Steam leads Q1 2025 phishing scams as the most-imitated brand, with toll pass and tax scams on the rise. 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