Tip: Secure Your Online Identity

Paul Thurrott shared a tip about securing your online identify and creating more secure passwords on Windows Weekly 499. A lot of the tips for securing your online identity are things we've heard a lot before. These include using two-factor authentication and a password manager. How we come up with a master password, however, is something worth revisiting.

In 2016, Microsoft modified its password guidance to something more bizarre. In many ways, it goes against the conventional wisdom that we've had. Microsoft is saying that by getting people to create passwords that are difficult for humans, it's just forcing them to create passwords that are easy for computers to break. For example, a long password that's just a string of words is harder to crack than a shorter, random password with numbers and special characters. A password made up of words is also much easier to remember as a person.

It's also a good idea to secure and manage your Microsoft account specifically. Microsoft manages a lot of things for your account including all of the devices associated with it. 

- Read more about securing your online identity (thurrott.com)
- Check out the full list of password recommendations (Semperis.com)
- Read more about securing your Microsoft account (thurrott.com)