A Strong, Unique Password
Length beats cleverness. A long password you do not use anywhere else protects this account even when some other service leaks its list. Avoid names, birthdays and the organisation obvious words that anyone who knows you could guess. If remembering is the problem, a reputable password manager on your own phone is a safer notebook than a chat message to yourself.
Experienced users recognise most of this section from their own habits, which is exactly the point: none of it requires talent, special equipment or spending. It requires only that the basics are done in the right order, at the right moment, with a little patience. Readers who build these steps into their normal routine stop thinking about them within a fortnight, and that is when the real progress begins.
ICPV Book key points on this step:
- Choose length over cleverness
- Never reuse passwords across services
- Avoid guessable personal details
- Use a password manager if needed
- Change it if exposure is suspected
