Is your password difficult to crack? Friday, March 15, was the Better Business Bureau Password Day, and BBB is encouraging the public to protect themselves from fraud by changing their passwords to be more "ugly," thereby making it harder for hackers to solve. According to a 2023 Statista survey, 25 per cent of Canadians changed their passwords less often than once a year.
These statistics drop to only 16 per cent changing their passwords every three to six months, and 10 per cent between one and three months. With an average of up to 80 passwords to remember and manage per person, according to password manager company Nordpass, it can be difficult to create, manage, and remember unique and strong passwords.
“One of the easiest and most effective ways to keep hackers at bay is by knowing how to create, update, and use passwords wisely,” says Simone Lis, president and CEO for BBB serving Mainland BC and Yukon. “By making a password ugly, with random numbers, words, and symbols that aren’t directly tied to your identity or social media presence, you are taking one step further to stay safe from fraudsters and online scams.