The ever-increasing popularity of online apps is making it imperative for us all to remember an increasingly extensive number of passwords.

Whether for banking, work, shopping or social media, these passwords are now a fact of modern life

And, unfortunately, some of us are dealing with this problem by inadvertently putting our data, devices, and money at risk.

In short, the worst thing we can do is use the same password for many accounts or create basic passwords that hackers can quickly guess.

When the UK's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) conducted a study of passwords leaked in data breaches and its discoveries were both surprising and worrying.

For example, the NCSC discovered that more than 23 million people around the world used the password '123456'.

You can find more information about what was discovered HERE. 

Here are a few helpful hints to make your life easier and your online accounts safer:

1. Create passwords that are memorable

Using three random words as a password generator is a smart technique to build strong, memorable passwords. However, avoid using words that can be guessed (such as your pet's name).

If necessary, you can insert numbers and symbols. "purplesocksapple4!" for example.

2. Passwords saved in your browser

Allowing your web browser (such as Chrome, Safari, or Edge) to remember your password for you is known as "saving your password in your browser."

This can assist you in preventing cybercrime, such as bogus websites, by ensuring that you do not lose or forget your passwords.

It is more secure than using weak passwords or the same password in several places.

Here are some helpful websites for getting started with password saving in your browser: Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari are some of the most popular browsers.

3. Passwords for email accounts

If a hacker gains access to your email account, they may be able to access personal information you've saved about yourself or your business by resetting your other online account passwords

Consequently, your email password should be unique and strong, just like the rest of your passwords.

This makes it more difficult to crack or guess - and that's what all of us must remain absolutely focused on achieving.

For more of the government's latest advice on how to stay secure online, visit the Cyber Aware website HERE.