#CyberSecurity: When was the last time you changed your password? | Latest Delhi News

Online shopping for festivals is in full swing, for many! And why not, because pre-Diwali is the time when we let go of all budget restrictions to enjoy the festivities. But, pause, think, and answer: When was the last time you changed your account password? If it takes a long time to get an answer, be aware that your accounts are not as secure as you might think!

Cybercrime cases have certainly increased during a pandemic. And recently, Gaurav Sharma, DCP (South West), Delhi Police, tweeted how important it is to change passwords regularly, and not to use their cell phone number or simple codes like 0000 , as the password. Sharma says, “The most important thing is whether or not you change your password, never share it with anyone! A lot of us are used to delegating things … we give our card to someone and ask them to do a transaction on our behalf. That we must stop! When everything can be managed with a mobile phone, there is no need to make a cash transaction. Seniors are asking their servants to do these transactions for them, and that too must stop. To make things easier, you can create a set of 2 or 3 interchangeable passwords; so that if you forget one, you can check the second and third. One of them will click!

Why do Internet users avoid frequently changing their password?

I do not remember !

There is a lot of confusion when changing your password, says Sonali Kutariyar, a Noida-based banker. “It’s always difficult to remember a new password. In the bank, we have to change the password just to mitigate the risk of cyber fraud every two weeks. As in our organization, there is a multi-factor authentication which leads to memorizing several passwords at the same time, which creates chaos. So for personal things I tend to keep a simple password to remember. But yes, if the attackers crack a password, it is easy for them to crack the next password because the person will keep almost similar passwords (in most cases), ”she adds.

Different combos are like the sum of math

Shubhangi Jeswal, a dance teacher from Noida fails to understand all the mandates that a password requires on various websites. “Most applications want specific passwords that include special characters, numbers, upper and lower case letters and so on. Getting this right is sometimes like solving a math problem! meet all these password requirements for each app. And every time I try to create a new password it takes multiple attempts to finally get it right. So now I have a password that seems strong to me and that works for everything, ”she says.

Automatic filling saves the day

“When everything is fed into the phone, it becomes so easy to use your accounts,” says Bhavna Bansal, an IT professional from Naraina, adding, “I keep the same passwords for many accounts because my memory is not very good to remember all the different. And although I want to organize my passwords according to accounts, different for purchases and different for office or banking applications. But, I will have to do it manually, and if God forbid I don’t remember what I put in, then it’s quite a process to get out of this game called – forgot password!

What are the experts saying?

“Understanding the consequences”

It’s a human mindset to avoid change, says Dr Imran Noorani, senior consultant psychologist at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital. He adds, “It’s about not understanding how big the problem is. People need to understand the consequences. For any human mind, they only do what they think is important and will do something for them. A person who has had a problem will tell others about it. Otherwise, changing passwords is an additional burden on them. It becomes difficult for humans to adapt to change.

Security vault password as 123456?

KPS Malhotra, DCP (Cyber, Special Cell), Delhi Police, says people have to be extra careful these days because everything is connected to your bank account. “Do you keep the password for your home safe under the name 123456?” No right? So you also need to assess your cybersecurity and cybersecurity. Most things today are related to our bank credentials and other important information. Giving easy access to such information can lead to major problems, both financially and personally. Protect your cyber credentials well and be safe online and in life, ”he says.

Try a vacation spot instead of DOB

Suggesting how to create a simple yet effective password, Ankur Tripathi, associate director of MNC, says a combination of certain rules should be followed when creating your password. He says, “It’s important not to use your date of birth, name or pattern like 123 or common passwords like 0000 or your phone number. It is best to use a combination of uppercase, lowercase, and special characters that are at least 10 characters long. These characters could be anything but not your basic information. As you can maybe put your favorite vacation spot like this: MAldives @ 666.

So now when you log into your account, secure it by making sure its password has been changed recently!

Author’s tweets @anjuri

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