Scams Safety Tip: Passwords

by Emily, Community Resource Officer

A common question I am asked at scams awareness information sessions is ‘what makes a good password?’ With data breaches on the rise, having a strong password is very important but it can be overwhelming.

Passphrases

Experts now recommend passphrases as the best way to protect online accounts as they are easy to remember and hard for cybercriminals to crack.

A passphrase is a strong type of password that has four or more random words like “crystal onion clay pretzel”.

Passphrases should be:

Long
Unpredictable
Unique (different passphrase for each online account)

Useful website: How secure is my password?

To ensure that you have chosen a secure password, you can use this password checker tool to see how long it would take for a computer to crack your password.

Password Managers

If you have unique passwords for each online account, it’s impossible to remember them all. You may choose to write your passwords down in a book and store them somewhere safe, like a locked draw or safe. Another useful tool is a password manager. This information has been taken from the Australian Cyber Security Centre, read the full article here.

Password managers can help you create, manage and store passwords securely for each of your accounts. They can come in a variety of forms, such as an app or website.

To access a password manager you only need a single master password, key or PIN. This means you only need to remember this master login to access all your stored passwords.

Password managers allow you to:

create strong and unique passwords
store passwords and other logins securely in one place from any device
save time and effort by auto-filling your login details
store your bank cards, PINs, and identity details
reduce the risk of someone intercepting your passwords.

Password managers are useful tools but are also attractive targets to cybercriminals. Only use a reputable password manager and practice good security by following our advice.

Multi-factor Authentication

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is an effective way to protect your accounts against unauthorised access. It is a security measure that requires two or more proofs of identity to grant you access, such as something the user knows (PIN, secret question), something you have (card, token) or something you are (fingerprint or other biometric).

Look in the settings of your online accounts to find the option to set up MFA. You can also search ‘how to set up multi-factor authentication in website name‘ in your search engine ie ‘how to set up multi-factor authentication in Facebook’ for step-by-step instructions.

Want to learn more?

The Australian Cyber Security Centre website is a great resource for information on passphrases, password managers and how to set up multi-factor authentication.

For more information

If you have more questions, would like to speak to someone about how you can better protect your online accounts, you can call the Seniors Enquiry Line on 1300 135 500 or email us at sel@uccommunity.org.au.

Australian Cyber Security Centre

The Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) website has a wealth of information on how to protect your online accounts. You can submit reports of cybercrime, incident or vulnerability to the ACSC. They also have online quizzes – Have I Been Hacked to find out what to do if you’ve been the victim of a cybercrime.

Have you been hacked?

How cyber secure are you?

IDCARE

IDCARE is Australia and New Zealand’s national identity & cyber support service. They can provide individualised Identity & Cyber Security Case Managers who listen and provide the best advice on how to respond to data breaches, scams, identity theft, and cyber security concerns. I recommend subscribing to their email newsletter to be alerted to current scams and safety tips.

Have I Been Pwned

The Have I Been Pwned website lets you check if your email address been caught in a data breach. You can also search to see if your password has been exposed in a data breach.

How can Seniors Enquiry Line help?

One-stop-shop information helpline

Received a text message, email or phone call and unsure whether it’s a scam or not? Call the Seniors Enquiry Line on 1300 135 500 to speak with our friendly staff for support to work out if it’s a scam and what steps to take.

Free information sessions in South East Queensland

Seniors Enquiry Line is able to facilitate free information sessions within South East Queensland. Topics include scams awareness and social media and online safety. Learn more on the Community Education page.

Book a phone call with Emily

If you would like a more in-depth conversation around scams, online safety or strategies to protect yourself, you can schedule a phone call with our scams expert Emily. Contact the Seniors Enquiry Line on 1300 135 500 or sel@uccommunity.org.au to organise.

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