HabboDefense
Account Security: The Power of Strong Passwords and Safe Email Usage
Writers: Player Safety Team
Graphics: -Eils & Vespertila
Introduction: The Importance of Account Security (Ghello)
On Habbo, but also anywhere else online where you might have an account, account safety is crucial. Within this article, by account safety, we are referring to passwords and emails- two crucial parts of any login. Without a secure email and good password, your account becomes easily susceptible to hacks or other forms of account compromise. Within this article, we will be covering tips & tricks to keep your account secure. This will include what a good password looks like, other password tricks, the benefit of using multiple email-accounts and more.
Applying these tips & tricks will help you safeguard your account, so you do not fall victim to a hack. Hacks put you at risk, exposing personal identifiable information (PII), and can potentially have real world consequences. So keeping your account secure will not only protect you online, but also in real life.
Creating the Best Possible Password (KreepKap)
When registering for any site, video game or resource, you are asked to create an account. Each account that is created must have a password. But what is the key to creating a strong and unique password? There are different ways to achieve this. A good method that offers the best protection against hackers is to utilize a password generator.
Password generators are resources that automatically generate randomized passwords. These passwords contain a series of numbers, letters, and even symbols. They provide passwords containing both uppercase and lowercase letters to provide the maximum security. You can find different types of password generators online, some that can also act as password managers. Applications like Google also have built-in password generators which you may have come across before. Using password generators can help you generate strong passwords in little time, offering the best security for your account. However, there are other factors that you may want to consider. It may be troublesome to log in to your accounts from different devices, especially since it’s difficult to memorize generated passwords. Using password generators/managers, you may also be at risk of having your personal data exposed due to a security breach, so that is something you should take into account as well.
Another way to approach passwords, the traditional way, is to just come up with them yourselves. However, whilst doing so, you should keep some rules in mind:
- Most sites require a password length of at least 8 characters, however, it is a good practice to aim for a length of at least 12-16 characters.
- Use a combination of upper and lowercase letters in your passwords.
- Avoid using common phrases or digits in your passwords, for example, qwerty, abcd, 1234, etc.
- Avoid using personal information in your passwords, this includes your first and/or last name, your date of birth, etc.
- Some people make the common mistake of using their account username/email as part of their password. Never do this as it makes it easier to crack your password.
The above mentioned tips should enable you to create a password that maximizes account security whilst also making it convenient for you to access and use your accounts. You may also refer to the image below for a visual on how different password combinations make it difficult for hackers to crack your password:
Password Tricks to keep your Account Secure (ChristianM.0498)
Keeping your password secure can sound difficult and overwhelming. Luckily, there are several tricks that will help you create a secured and protected password every time!
The first thing you can do is utilize a Password Manager, which is an efficient and secure method of creating complex passwords without having to even remember them. Although HabboDefense does not endorse a specific Password Manager, you can simply Google the term “Password Manager” to find one you might like, for example, ones like LastPass, NordPass, and so on. Usually, there are both free and paid subscriptions, and some might even offer free trials; do your research to find one you might like. It is always best to have different passwords for different accounts, and that can be tedious but a password manager is a great tool to help you accomplish that.
Additionally, you can also attempt to create a different “type” of password called a passphrase. Passphrases are typically much longer and are harder to crack but can be easier to remember than a bunch of random characters, numbers, and symbols. An example of a good passphrase might be like “I-L0v3-H@bb0-H0te!”, notice how it uses a full sentence, including dashes, upper and lower case letters, and symbols, and would take a very long time to crack. It’s important to try and avoid anything related to your username or any information that can be easily guessable. For example, if signing up for a McDonald’s account, you want to avoid any variations of the word “McDonald’s,” as these are usually attempted to be guessed first.
In order to stay even more secure, you should also aim to have your passwords changed every 6 months or so. By consistently changing passwords for different accounts, you are able to effectively keep malicious attackers on their toes and always guessing. Once again, never try to reuse a password, think of something fresh every time you create one.
Safeguarding your Email (Waterfireboy)
It is incredibly important to keep your personal email secret as much as possible. While it may be tempting to create one email and use it for all sorts of accounts, this will put you at risk of your email being exposed to hackers in the event of a data breach. A hacker will not be able to directly login to your email account if you’ve followed the password tips listed above, but you are at a higher risk of spam or phishing emails being sent to you.
Phishing mails usually ask for your login details in exchange for something that is too good to be true. For example, you could be asked to provide your Habbo password on an external website to receive 200 credits for free. They often also contain incorrect grammar or spelling. You can detect phishing emails by carefully checking the sender, usually the email address does not contain the actual company domain, but something else like “free-habbo-credits@gmail.com”.
To ensure you keep your email safe, you should be mindful of the services you sign up to. Only sign up to essential services with your personal account. For accounts related to Habbo or other games, you should create separate email accounts. Additionally, it’s best to regularly check https://haveibeenpwned.com/ to see if your email has fallen victim to a data breach. If you have been a victim of data breaches, you should exercise extreme caution when receiving suspicious emails. Do not click any links unless you are sure they’re valid.
Conclusion (saltpocalypse)
Account security is a crucial aspect of maintaining safety in online spaces. By following the tips outlined in this article – such as creating stronger passwords with a mix of uppercase, lowercase letters, symbols, numbers, and even phrases – you can significantly reduce the risk of data breaches or hacks.
Additionally, using a password manager to generate and save a complex and unique password is a convenient way to add another layer of protection to your accounts without forcing you to memorize anything.
You should also note that account security is a commitment. Changing your passwords every 6 months and spreading your accounts across multiple email addresses are two key steps to maintain your safety in the event of a data breach, though this may take some extra time.
If you take these proactive measures, you can have peace of mind knowing that you are protecting not only your online privacy – but your real life privacy as well.