Passwords
A password is a means to unlock or access information, like a key, a Personal Identification Number (PIN) or a secret code.
The password combined with the user name or ID creates a unique combination used to identify and authenticate the user.
All passwords must be complex enough to not be discovered or guessed by anyone, and simple enough to be remembered by their legitimate owners, without having to write them down.
Caution
If your password is too simple, a fraudster may:
- Obtain and use it to steal or destroy data
- Use it to impersonate you and access your personal information
Fraudsters use the following techniques to obtain a password:
- Social engineering: obtaining or guessing passwords based on personal information obtained about you or your family
- for example, do not use your dog's name "Sultan"
- Dictionary attacks: using a program that tries all the words in the dictionary in several languages
- some programs also substitute the most obvious letters, for example, an S for a Z or an A for a 4 in "m4izon" (maison)
- Brute force attacks: using a program that tries all possible combinations of characters
- with more than 8 characters, this method is very time-consuming and a typical fraudster is less likely to use it
- Malware: using a malware like a keylogger or a packet sniffer to catch passwords entered by the user
- don't log into your acounts from a public computer or network, where malwares like these could be hidden without your knowledge
How can you protect yourself?
Create a safe password that you will remember:
- Make up a password with at least 8 characters
- Do not use any dictionary word in any language
- Avoid sequences or repetition of characters such as "123456" or "333333" or "abcdefg"
- Never use your personal information such as:
- name or user name
- date of birth
- Social Insurance Number
- pet's name
- family’s personal information
- etc.
- Choose a combination of lower case and upper case letters, numbers and symbols
Many types of websites require you to use passwords for which you must always ensure the safety and confidentiality:
- Change passwords by default
- Use a new complex password for each critical website (banking services, online purchases, government services, etc.)
- Use simple passwords for less critical websites (a website's private area where you will not make any transactions)
- Do not re-use the same password
- Do not let your Internet browser manage your passwords
- Use your memory and not a paper note or unprotected file to remember your passwords
- Do not tell anyone your passwords, not even your parents or friends
- Change your passwords regularly
References
