Follow these top tips to stay secure:

• Keep your passwords secret

There is no point creating a long and strong, unique password if somebody else knows it. It is essential that you keep your password to yourself – do not reveal it to anybody, even to family or friends, or people who say they need it for you to be eligible for something. The fewer people who know it, the fewer points of attack for a cybercriminal.

• Make your passwords long, complex, unique and memorable

Research suggests that many of us reuse our passwords across various accounts. Once one password has been compromised, cybercriminals will attempt to use it for all of your accounts – this is why it is essential to have different passwords for different accounts. Making passwords long and complex will make it difficult for cybercriminals to crack your password with readily available software.

• Use multi-factor authentication

One of the most effective options for additional protection is two-factor or multi-factor authentication (2FA/MFA). MFA requires you to authenticate yourself using additional measures in conjunction with your password. For example, using biometrics or a passcode generated in an app or sent to your phone.

This means that even if somebody steals or cracks your password, they will be unable to log in to your account as they do not have the secondary identifier required.

• Be social media savvy

You might be surprised by how much information about you is online, and how much of it could be used to compromise your passwords.

You may not have even shared the information consciously. For example, have you ever taken a fun social media quiz such as ‘Discover your showbiz name’? Perhaps it told you to simply enter your pet’s name and your mother’s maiden name to reveal your showbiz moniker.

Always think carefully before giving anyone your personal information.