Answers from Our Care Team: How Do I Create a Strong Password?

Many data breaches occur through password hacking or lax password security. Having strong passwords is a must for keeping your online accounts secured. Here are some tips on how to do it:

• Your password should be at least 8-15 characters and include upper and lowercase letters, at least one numeral, and at least one special character (*, &, #, and so on).
• Never use an easy-to-guess password like 12345, password, or password123.
• Use IDX’s Password Detective tool (part of an IDX membership) to see if any of your passwords has been compromised in a past data breach.
• Avoid using the same password on multiple online accounts; be sure that each of your accounts has its own unique password.
• Change passwords every 3-6 months for your financial and medical accounts.
  
• Never keep a list, either on paper or on your computer, showing all your passwords. Instead, use a service like IDX Password Manager, which automatically creates and virtually stores strong, encrypted passwords for you. You use just one strong password to access it; Password Manager then securely logs you into your accounts.

Learn more about password security here.