Username Security: Who Knew That Was “A Thing?”

Summary: This 3-minute article explains the importance of creating secure usernames. Learn how to create and safely store strong usernames. Then contact GEEK-AID Computer and Network Support at https://www.geekaid.com/ to explore the best comprehensive computer and network support for your home or business computer system.

Cyber security has always emphasized the importance of using strong passwords for all the online platforms and apps that require them. However, passwords are only half of the credentials involved. First, when logging in, users must identify who they are by entering their unique username. Next, they enter their password to prove that they are the authorized user of the account. Creating unique usernames and passwords can be very straightforward. But unfortunately, many users do not even consider username security and have no idea what factors make usernames more secure.

How To Make A Username That’s Secure

There are many username best practices to consider when creating one:

• Make it Unique and Easy to Remember – We are all unique, and our usernames should be too. Picking a name that is unique and that you can easily remember is critical. Therefore, it is a good idea to make your usernames things that relate to you that a stranger probably won’t know. You can use things like your favorite vacation destination, a phrase your grandmother may have used or the name of your favorite movie. The goal is to have usernames that are easy for the user to remember but difficult for an outsider to guess.
  • Avoid Revealing Personal Information – Personal data such as your birthdate, name and age should never be used in a username. Sharing private information in a username allows hackers to know more about you and, therefore, provides them with the details required to launch a cyberattack on you and even steal your identity.
• Ideally, combining random numbers, letters (upper and lowercase) and special characters is best. However, an arbitrary string of characters will likely be much harder to remember.
• Don’t Reuse Usernames – Usernames should only be used to access one platform or website. That way, if a cybercriminal manages to compromise one of your accounts, they will not necessarily be able to hack others. Also, after changing a username, do not use it again. Retire the name.
• Store Usernames (and Passwords) Securely – With almost every online platform requiring a username and password credentials, it is crucial to store them safely, even if you think you can easily remember them. Never store credentials on your computer, browser or posted on a note to yourself. In the world of cyber security, secure credentials are the front line for protecting your data. If you wish to lock them down with additional confidence, purchasing a password management app is an easy solution. Password managers can also generate strong, unique passwords to work in tandem with strong usernames.
• Do Not Use Usernames That Are The Same As Your Email Address – Convenience is not as important as keeping your data safe. The more you use the same identifying information, such as usernames, on multiple different platforms, the more you are exposing yourself and your devices to cyber threats. The rule of thumb? Keep them unique and separate because cybercriminals are adept at figuring out commonalities in credentials across platforms and have many ways to glean login data. Also, email is often one of the options used for multi-factor authentication (MFA). If your email address is captured and in the hands of hackers, MFA can expose you to a massive data breach, including personal and financial data.
• Password Managers Simplify Username Security – Top-notch password managers can take a lot of stress out of creating and storing usernames and passwords. They can generate robust, difficult-to-guess usernames and passwords. Also, once they are created, password managers can securely store them so you will not have to remember the different credentials used on various sites and apps.

Generating unique and hard-to-guess usernames and passwords is tedious and confusing for some users. Also, many do not know about password managers and continue to make risky choices that can expose vulnerabilities upon which cyber thieves can capitalize. Less tech-savvy users might choose to enlist the help of an IT consulting service that can evaluate the best way to create and safely store your login credentials.

Robust cyber security requires many layers of protection against cyberattacks. Usernames and passwords are part of the first layer of defense. The harder you make it for hackers to guess your login credentials, the harder it will be for them to attack your computer system and other platforms. In a real-world sense, the more locks you install on your door, the harder and more time-consuming it becomes for a felon to break into your home. If frustrated, hackers will move on to other targets. Username and password creation and secure storage are the first steps in protecting your computer system. A comprehensive, detailed cyber security plan, with a budget supported by training and best practices, is the only approach that will lock down your private data and keep your system safe from being hacked. Don’t wait until your data is breached before adopting a method for generating and protecting usernames and passwords.