If someone gets into your email, WhatsApp or MoMo, they can steal money, message your contacts pretending to be you, or lock you out of your own work. At work, a weak password can expose customer records. Two simple habits block most of these problems: strong passwords and two step verification.
What makes a password strong
A strong password is long and hard to guess. Length matters more than strange symbols.
Weak passwords include your name, your phone number, your birthday, "123456" or "password". People who know you, or computer programs that try common passwords, can guess these quickly.
A good method is a passphrase: three or four random words joined together, perhaps with a number. For example, a phrase like "GuineaFowlRiverLantern7" is long, easy for you to remember and hard to guess. Do not use this exact example.
One password per important account
If you use the same password everywhere and one website is hacked, criminals try it on your email and other accounts. Use a different password at least for your email, your MoMo or bank app, and your main social media.
Remembering many passwords is hard. Options include a password manager app, or the password saving built into your Google account on your own phone or computer. If you write passwords down, keep the paper at home in a private place, never in your phone case or wallet.
Two step verification
Two step verification adds a second lock. After your password, the account asks for something only you have, usually a code sent to your phone or a prompt that appears on your phone. A thief with your password still cannot get in.