Use different passwords

The biggest mistake which happens to also be the most common mistake is to choose one password and use it as your login to everything.  If there is a breach in one of your accounts, it is easy for hackers to hack into your other accounts if you have the same password.

Strengthen your passwords

Passwords should be at least 6-8 characters in length and include both numbers and letters.  Names of people or things connected to you should be avoided, as the first place criminals may look to extract personal information is on your social media sites.  Your password for your email is one of the most important passwords to protect. If hackers can gain access to your email, they can easily see your accounts linked to the email and reset passwords.

Use the two- factor authentication

In addition to passwords, a new option is offered by many banks, social networking sites and email services called two factor authentications. This requires an additional verification after entering your username and password. Every time someone tries to login to the account, a one-time code is sent to you (generally via text message) that you must type in to gain access to the account.

Don’t be an easy target for hackers. Take the time to change your passwords to protect yourself.