Passwords are out of date. Unfortunately, we still need them and we have to enter passwords several times a day. But if it were up to me, you could just forget your passwords altogether.
We know that people still use passwords like 1234, password or qwerty for whatever reason. It is easy to remember and you think you have nothing to hide anyway. However, that's not a good idea, because anyone can guess such passwords. But if we do use long and complicated passwords, this causes a lot of annoyance: they are hard to remember or you can make a mistake when typing them.
To top it all off, we cyber security experts tell you that even strong passwords are not completely secure. Strong passwords can also be stolen and used to access your accounts. If you enter a strong password on a website, and that website is hacked, your password may be stolen there. Criminals sell this information on to each other and use it to access your accounts.
Is there really nothing you can do about it?
No, fortunately you can do something: use two-factor authentication. You must have heard about it by now, and have probably already used it to log in or to do banking transactions. Two-factor authentication requires you to use not one but two steps to log in. For example, you enter a password and a 'response code' will be sent to you via text message or to a device such as your bank's card reader. Or you can identify yourself with your fingerprint and a code... If your password is stolen, a criminal cannot do anything with it, because they cannot get through the second step.
With this year's campaign, we want to encourage all internet users to use two-factor authentication wherever possible. It is an extra step, but it is not difficult. Most important of all, it means that your accounts are much more secure.
Now you may be wondering why you should forget your passwords....
Why should you forget your passwords, given that we've just told you that you'll have to keep using passwords on a regular basis? Well, there is a very simple way to select and store your passwords, namely in an online password vault. Such a password vault is really a great invention. It stores your passwords and also creates very strong passwords for you. You need to protect the safe with a strong password. That is the only password you have to remember. Some password vaults are opened with a fingerprint, so you really don't have to remember any passwords at all.
Miguel De Bruycker, Director of the Centre for Cybersecurity Belgium
