Password Security: Tips for Creating and Protecting Strong Passwords

At RadiFi, we empower our members with robust and versatile digital banking platforms that are easy to use and give full credit union access from anywhere. Members can quickly and conveniently access their accounts and manage their finances, including free bill pay, eStatements, remote check deposits, and more. However, if your login credentials become compromised, these same convenient services could allow an unauthorized person to commit fraudulent activity, or even steal your identity by using your personal identity information (PII).

With so much of your private information online, having a strong password is essential when it comes to your online security and protecting your accounts from unauthorized access. Here are some tips we recommend for creating strong and unique passwords and safeguarding your digital accounts:

• Make sure your password is between 8-12 characters and include a unique combination of letters (upper and lower case), numbers and special characters– spaces can even be used as well.
• Try creating a passphrase by taking a memorable phrase or acronym and adding special characters/numbers to it. The longer a password is, the harder it is to crack.
• Do not use a common password such as:
  • A sequence of numbers or letters (i.e. 1234, ABCD)
  • Your Date of Birth
  • Your Social Security Number
  • Pet names or family members
• Avoid using the same password across multiple websites. You can use a password manager tool or password vault to keep track of all your different passwords.
• Be sure to enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) as it provides additional layers of security when logging-in. This means you’ll be provided with a security code via text or email to confirm that it is really you trying to log in.
• Never share your password or security codes with anyone.
• Change your passwords regularly (best practice is every few months).
• If you suspect your password may have been compromised, change it immediately.
• Be aware of others watching when you type a password and always logout and close the browser if applicable when done.
• Avoid accessing online banking from public computers or on unsecure Wi-Fi as information you send on a public network can be intercepted.
• Make sure your computer has antivirus/antimalware software installed and is up to date.

• Have between 8-32 characters
• Contain at least one number
• Contain at least one of the following special characters (‘.,#@:?!()/$\)
• Contain at least one uppercase letter
• Contain at least one lowercase letter