Here are five tips for creating a secure password:
- Length:
Make sure your password is long. We ask you for 8 characters as a minimum, but longer passwords are harder to crack. So aim for 12 characters or more. We don’t require you to update your password periodically but may ask you to if we believe there is a risk to your account
- Complexity:
Use a combination of upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Don’t use predictable substitutions like place names, dates of birth, or “password” to “p@ssword” or “1234” to “1qaz2wsx”, as these are easily guessable.
- Uniqueness:
Avoid using the same password for multiple accounts. If one account is compromised, all other accounts are also at risk.
- Double up:
Use Multi-factor Authentication (MFA) alongside your password to help secure your access. It’s not available on H&B yet, but other websites you use let you set this up.
- Recording:
Never write a password down. Consider using a password manager to generate and store strong, unique passwords for each account, which may include your browser. This way, you only need to remember one master password to access your accounts.