World Change Your Password Day

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by

Hope O.
in

Did you know February 1st annually is World Change Your Password Day?

Look, I get it. Changing passwords is about as fun as watching paint dry, but what’s worse is having your password hacked and your data falling into the wrong hands.

Let’s talk numbers for a second, shall we?

According to Statista, during the third quarter of 2024, hackers exposed more than 422 million records worldwide. That’s 422 million records in only 3 months! This isn’t just another statistic. It represents real people, businesses, careers, and reputations at risk. If that doesn’t make you want to change your ‘fluffy123’ password, I don’t know what will.

I’ll be the first to admit I used to be terrible with passwords, though that was eons ago. My go-to was my niece’s cat’s name (hello, Ginger), plus some not-so-random numbers like my birth year. But here’s what finally made me get my acts together:

First off, hackers aren’t exactly breaking a sweat trying to crack ‘password1234’ or ‘qwerty.’ Surprised? Oh yeah, people still use these. It’s like leaving your front door open and hoping nobody walks in. It would be laughable if it wasn’t grave serious.

Secondly, which is pretty scary, if you’re using the same password everywhere (we’ve all been there), one website breach essentially means all your accounts are up for grabs. Think about it, your Netflix password might be the key to your bank account.

Third, even if you have a strong password or have a different password for all your accounts, these can be bypassed if two-factor authentication (2FA) isn’t enabled.

How to Upgrade Your Password Security

Here are some ways to ensure your digital doors are actually locked.

  • Use Passphrases Instead of Passwords

Think phrases, not words. ‘ILovePizzaOnFridays!’ is way better than ‘Pizza123’. Plus, you’re more likely to actually remember it.

Take it a step further and add numbers and special characters to the mix – ‘1L0vep!zz@onFr1day$’.

  • Make It Unique for Every account

Each account needs its own password. If you’re thinking this will never work as you’ve got a thousand and one different accounts, there’s a solution!

  • Use a Password Manager

Get yourself a password manager. A good password manager can generate and store complex passwords so you don’t have to remember them. They’re basically like having a super-secure digital safe for all your passwords.

  • Turn on Two-Factor Authentication

For the love of all things digital, turn on two-factor authentication. Sure, it can be slightly annoying to wait for that code, but, you’ll agree it’s way less annoying than having your account hacked and your data stolen.

Quick reality check: 

If you’re storing important files in the cloud, you absolutely need to step up your password game. 

To commemorate World Change Your Password Day 2025, from the team at Folder Fort, here’s our challenge to you –

Take five minutes right now to check if your passwords have been leaked in the past (hit up Have I Been Pwned).

Next, whatever the outcome of your search, make out time to change the passwords on your most important accounts using the recommendations above, and don’t forget to set up that password manager you’ve been putting off forever.

Future you will be grateful you did, because dealing with a hacked account? That’s way more painful than spending five minutes changing some passwords.

Stay safe out there, folks. Your digital life is worth protecting.