As a web hosting provider, we at Bluehost are charged with safeguarding a lot of valuable and sensitive information, such as websites files, contact information, and financial data. We take this responsibility very seriously. Since we unfortunately don’t often get to meet our clients face-to-face, we rely on a slew of security protocols to make certain only you have access to your account’s information. Many of these revolve around robust password systems.
Did you know there are things you can do, related to your password, that can help ensure your information remains secure? Here are a handful of important tips:
TIP 1 – Make sure your password is secure.
- Use a combination of letters, numbers, and special characters
- Use a combination of capital and lower case letters
- Use many characters (at least 8 )
- Avoid full-length words from the dictionary
- When using words, use “made up” words or combine many into one
- Avoid familiar items (names, phone numbers, birthdays)
- Avoid common passwords and generic sequences (“password”, “admin”, “12345”)
TIP 2 – Protect your password.
- Memorize your password and do not write it down
- Do not share your password
- Do not use the same password as with other services (Gmail, Yahoo, Apple)
- Avoid using one password for all your logins
- Avoid logging in from public computers
- Change your password frequently
- Be wary of permitting browsers or applications of automatically remembering passwords
TIP 3 – Keep your email address up to date.
Our “Forgot Password” link is always available on your cPanel login page. It issues a link to the email address listed on your account that allows you to create a new password. Therefore, it’s imperative your email address be up-do-date so this link can reach you if needed. And we can manually send you this email: just open a live chat, create a ticket through helpdesk, or give us a call (888-401-4678).
TIP 4 – Memorize the last four characters of your password.
Make the last four characters of your password easy to memorize but not easily guessed. We often ask for these last four characters over the phone to verify account authorization. I’ve included the names of symbols to make speaking and choosing them easier.
At Bluehost, we take security seriously. We do everything possible to keep your information secure, but a lot still depends on you. Thankfully, following these simple tips can help keep the bad guys at bay!