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

Summary: Creating secure usernames is as important as creating secure passwords. Learn how to create and safely store strong usernames.

How to Make a Username

Cyber security experts emphasize 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 or what factors make usernames more secure.

User Name Best Practices

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

• Make it Unique and Easy to Remember – Picking a name that is unique and that you can easily remember is critical (especially if you do not use a password manager). Therefore, it is a good idea to make your usernames things that relate to you that a stranger will not 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 (or password). Sharing private information in a username allows hackers to know more about you and, therefore, provides them with more of the details required to launch a cyberattack on you or 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.
• Do Not 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 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. They can also be accessed on any of your devices and computers.
• 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, it gives them one more piece of information to use in cyberattacks and identity theft.
• 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.

Creating Usernames and Passwords

Generating unique and hard-to-guess usernames and passwords is tedious and confusing for some users. Knowing how to make a username that is secure will go a long way in protecting your data. Also, many do not know about password managers and continue to make risky choices that can expose vulnerabilities for cyber thieves to exploit. Your IT security technician can show you other ways to secure your computer system and protect your own valuable personal data or client and company data that is accessed from your computer.

Username Security is Another Layer of Defense

Robust cyber security requires many layers of protection against cyberattacks. Creating usernames and passwords is 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. As with home break-ins, the more locks you install on your door, the harder and more time-consuming it becomes for a criminal to break into your home. If frustrated, hackers will move on to other targets.

Do I Need a Password Manager?

Username and password creation and secure storage are the first steps in protecting your computer system. Generating unique login information for every account becomes a lot to manage and remember. Cyber experts recommend a password manager (sometimes called a password locker) to keep track of and generate secure passwords. Passwords can be accessed from any device, so you can use the same one on your phone or in your office. It is the professional approach that will help secure your private data and reduce the risk of your computer system being hacked. Do not wait until your data is breached before adopting a safe method for generating and protecting usernames and passwords. Contact your IT technician to recommend and install a high-quality password manager and show you how to use it.