Why your every pass­word matters

In order to function properly, many internet accounts require us to fill in personal information, such as full name, home address, phone number and credit card number.

With the right pass­word, criminals can access all the details in your online account. And these details are often just what they need to commit identity theft.

Most people use the same pass­word in multiple profiles. In case a hacker gets your pass­word, they will try it to access profiles that include credit card details, such as Amazon, eBay, Netflix, etc.

If you reuse pass­words, a seemingly trivial profile getting breached is no joke. Using unique and strong pass­words on every profile limits the damage of a data breach only to one account.

Probably no other person knows your pass­word. But when you create an internet account, the pass­word is stored in the service provider’s database, not on your own device. Unfortunately, you can’t prevent the service provider’s system from being breached.

When an internet service you use gets breached, the pass­word you use in the service gets compromised. And there are new data breaches all the time.

In addition to data breaches, pass­words can be stolen from your device with malware. Criminals can also use phishing scams, public Wi‑Fi networks and other tricks to lure you into giving them your pass­words.

Many accounts include sensitive personal information, that can be used for identity theft. To guard your accounts, each of them needs to be protected with a different key. When one pass­word is breached, the others are safe, and the risk of becoming an identity theft victim is much smaller. That is why your every pass­word matters.