Hacking has become a menace worldwide, with many people losing millions in online fraud.
Crime data by Statista shows that by June 2022, there were 444 million hacking attempts on financial institutions, mostly targeting mobile banking.
With most Kenyans accessing banking services through their smartphones, they are prone to hacking, phishing and identity theft.
One of best ways to protect yourself from online hackers is avoiding commonly used passwords like;
Common English words
Avoid using common English words when creating passwords. Words like password, university, and company can easily be cracked by hackers.
Commonly used words
Apart from English words, avoid any commonly used words in any dialect. Do not use a commonly used vernacular phrase as your password.
Your name and DOB
Most people use their names or their loved ones as passwords. This is greatly dissuaded. If you have to use a person's name, make sure you combine it with numbers, symbols and a combination of cases.
Consecutive letters on the keyboard
If prompted to create a password, do not swipe on your keyboard. Even if the words are unintelligible, there being consecutive on the keyboard makes you vulnerable to hackers.
Words like QWERTY, or ABCD, or 1234 are not advised in forming passwords.
Default device credentials
Most devices and software come with a default password. The common ones are 12345, 00000 and admin. Make sure you change the default password to deter hackers.
Personal information
Never use personal information like date of birth and ID number as your password, as it can commonly be guessed.
Months of the year
Finally, do not use your calendar as an inspiration in creating a password. Avoid months of the month when creating a password, as that can easily be hacked.
