How to keep your passwords really safe: advice from an expert

Thanks to ever-evolving cybersecurity threats, what is considered a strong password today may not be considered a strong password in the future.

Mustafa Abdallah is a professor of computer and information technology at Purdue University.

Abdallah recommends routinely updating passwords to follow the most up-to-date security guidelines. Using longer passwords and two-factor authentication are currently effective methods of increasing cybersecurity.

Different passwords should be used across different devices and accounts. It is also important to make sure older devices and accounts that may be forgotten are updated to prevent hackers from finding them and compromising security.

Abdallah says that using a password-storing service is a generally safe way to keep track of passwords.

However, users should not store their passwords in unsecured locations like notes apps or text files, as these are easy for cyber attackers to get into.