Smarter Password Habits that Help You Stay Safe

A recent study found that the average person manages over 100 passwords¹ — a number that keeps growing as more services are online. We need passwords for everything from financial accounts, loyalty programs and even smart home devices.

With so many accounts, it's easy to fall into bad habits, like reusing passwords, and that's where hackers come in.

Why you should care about your passwords

Criminals steal and sell millions of passwords and often use login details from data breaches at smaller accounts (like a subscription service) to break into more important accounts (like your email or financial accounts).

Damage from a stolen password isn’t limited to a fake credit card charge that you can get reversed. Hackers can assemble stolen data from multiple breaches into one profile, which makes it much easier for them to steal your identity and wreak real havoc—in real estate alone, there could be mortgages taken out in your name, or a wire transfer hijacked during a close of sale. If someone gets into your email, they could send people on your contact list scam emails that look like they’re from you.

One weak password is all it takes for criminals to act.

Improve your password security

Here’s the good news: The solution isn’t to worry about passwords more, it’s to worry about them less, by following a few basic rules. Read on to find out:

1. What makes a strong password
2. How often do you really need to change your passwords
3. How can password manager apps do the work for you
4. Why a few other security measures (already at your fingertips) are worth the trouble

Is your password secure?

Check your password's strength against millions of known passwords with The Carnegie Mellon password meter. Please note that any information you input is not stored or shared. A username is not required to check a password's strength.