The state government is marking World Password Day by launching a new cyber safety campaign to keep Victorians, including Maribyrnong and Hobsons Bay, safe online.
Government Services minister Gabrielle Williams encouraged Victorians to head to the Service Victoria app to test out the new password safety tools, including a password strength tester and generator.
The government said these tools have been created to help Victorians make stronger passwords and keep their information safe from cyber criminals.
A cyber criminal can hack a weak password in seconds, but hacking a strong password can take centuries, they said.
The ‘Will your password pass the test of time?’ campaign provides Victorians with both tools and advice on how to keep their information safe online.
The campaign promotes six simple steps people can take to protect their information and be safer online, including: use passphrases, use a different password for each account, make passwords harder to guess by avoiding predictable words, use a password manager, update passwords and turn on multi-factor authentication.
The tools on the Service Victoria app can test the strength of a password but also generate suggested strong passphrases, with each passphrase being unique and random.
Both tools are completely anonymous and secure, and no information is collected, tracked, or stored.
The government’s new Stay Safe Online website has a range of information on passwords, multi-factor authentication, updating devices, and online scam awareness.
Details: vic.gov.au/stay-safe-online.
