If you believe a recent Forsa study, our passwords are by no means secure. 45 percent of Germans use the same password for all services. Even worse: the most common password worldwide is "123456". In second place: "123456789". And this despite the rapid rise in online crime. You should pay urgent attention to these points to ensure a secure password.

Why can't it be a sequence of numbers?

Sequences are too easy to crack. And hackers work with the latest technology. Special software can try up to 1,500 characters or number combinations per second. It always starts with the simplest combinations. The simpler the password, the quicker it is hacked. Also not good passwords: personal data such as birthdays, names, addresses, common nicknames and user names or e-mail addresses.

Do I need a new key for every service?

Yes, because once hackers have cracked a password, they will try it out on all possible services on your computer, tablet or smartphone. If you choose many different encryptions, you keep the damage as low as possible.

What does a secure password actually look like?

According to experts, a secure password should be at least 10 characters long and consist of a mixture of numbers, upper and lower case letters and special characters such as !, :, §, $, % . It is also important not to use a word from the dictionary, but to come up with a combination that is unique to you.

How often should I change my passwords?

Security experts recommend changing your passwords every three to six months. Of course, this does not always apply to everyone. A password for an online game does not need to be changed so urgently. While keys to services linked to your account or credit card information should be changed more frequently.

How do I remember a really secure key?

Think of a simple sentence. For example: "I get up at 7:15 in the morning and go to work!" Now make a secure password from the first letters, whole numbers and characters: "Msiu7:15UaugzA!"