Password tips

Use unique and strong passwords

Using the same password for every site potentially opens up full access to all of your data for any leak in any one of those websites. At the very least, use unique passwords for any sites that contain private or sensitive data. Using the password manager makes it easier to use varied passwords.

To create a strong password that is hard to guess or break, use the following tips:

• Make sure the password is at least 8 characters long.
• Use as much variety as possible: include a mix of alphabetic, numeric and symbolic characters and use both upper and lower cases.
• Avoid common words from the dictionary. Do not use the name of the website, “password”, your login name, your birth date, or obvious numbering such as “123”.

There are many sites on the Web discussing this topic, and some provide methodologies or formulas for creating strong passwords that you might find useful.

Store passwords

If you follow the wise recommendation to use a different password for each website, you need to be able to remember or refer to them. You can use Opera’s password manager to remember passwords and login details for you. However, if you do want to record and store them, follow these tips to keep them safe and secure.

• Do not store records of your passwords on or near your computer. Keep records separately, in a safe and secure place.
• Do not give your passwords to others unless is it unavoidable. Trusted friends or family may accidentally reveal this to others.
• Do not include passwords in emails.
• If using a public computer, for example in a library or Internet café, ensure that you delete any passwords you may have used. In Opera, you can easily delete all private data, such as passwords, by selecting Settings > Delete Private Data .

Password manager

You can use Opera’s password manager to save username and password details so that you can easily log in to websites with one click, without having to remember your details each time. To protect your privacy, your details are scrambled.

For information on how use the password manager, please see Introduction to Opera > Password Manager.

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