Taking steps to protect your passwords is a vital line of digital self-defence

Thinking of various online passwords is more likely to trigger a state of panic than the feeling of calm they’re designed to induce. These days, it can seem like they’re required for everything. How many times have you got into a tangle trying to remember yet another one for a website, app or bank account? Or perhaps locked yourself out of something important after entering the incorrect digits too many times? From online banking and email accounts to shopping portals and subscriptions, it can feel like every company requires a new and increasingly elaborate password – think minimum characters, capital letters, numbers and special symbols.

Faced with this potential confusion, it can be tempting to pick one memorable word or date and use it for everything, but digital-security experts warn that this makes it easier for hackers and fraudsters to access people’s personal information. And this applies whether you run a business with an online presence or simply use the internet to order your weekly shop.

And when you think about it, cybercriminals can access lots of personal information from many people incredibly easily – just consider the details some social-media users reveal daily – children’s names, anniversaries, birthdays (and ages). And what about those fun nostalgia-themed missives that ask you to reveal the name of your family pet, the make of your first car or your favourite book? All provide clues as to what passwords you might use, as well as the answers to many banks’ security questions. And if hackers gain access to your email, banking or shopping-portal passwords, they can do a lot of damage quite quickly. It can be scary to think about, but there are steps you can take to protect yourself and gain greater peace of mind.