Should I change my passwords regularly?
Short answer
Not on a fixed schedule. Current NIST guidance advises against forcing periodic password changes and recommends changing a password when there is evidence it was compromised, for example after a breach notice or suspicious sign-in.
The details
Forced regular changes tend to produce predictable patterns, such as adding a number to the end, which makes passwords weaker. A unique, long password plus multi-factor authentication protects you better.
Change a password immediately if a service reports a breach, you see a sign-in you do not recognize, or you typed it into a page you now suspect was fake.
Terms explained
- Multi-factor authentication
- Multi-factor authentication (MFA) requires two or more kinds of proof to sign in, such as a password plus an app prompt, security key or biometric unlock of a passkey.
Sources
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