Why Passwords Matter for TikTok Accounts
TikTok accounts contain a significant amount of personal information and content that needs protection. According to https://vpnoverview.com/privacy/social-media/tiktok-privacy/, TikTok collects user data including location, browsing history, contacts, and more. If someone gains access to your account, they could potentially view private videos, messages, account details, and post content that appears to come from you.
Having a strong, unique password is one of the best ways to secure your TikTok account according to https://www.uottawa.ca/about-us/information-technology/services/security/tiktok-use-privacy-risks. With password access to your account, an intruder could misrepresent you and damage your reputation. Protecting your account with a proper password prevents unauthorized access.
TikTok’s Password Requirements
TikTok has specific password requirements that users must follow when creating an account. According to TikTok’s reset password page, “Your password must be a combination of numbers and English letters or symbols, including at least 8 characters.” (https://careers.tiktok.com/resetPassword)
The minimum password length for a TikTok account is 8 characters. Passwords must contain a mix of letters, numbers and symbols. TikTok does not allow passwords that contain only letters, only numbers, or that are shorter than 8 characters.
Having a minimum password length requirement helps improve security and makes passwords harder to guess. The mix of different character types also increases the complexity of possible password combinations.
Overall, following TikTok’s password rules helps users create stronger, more secure passwords for their accounts.
Using Strong and Unique Passwords
Choosing a strong, unique password is one of the most important things you can do to protect your TikTok account. Reusing the same passwords across multiple accounts is unsafe as it allows cybercriminals to gain access to all your accounts if just one password is compromised.
According to Cybersecurity experts, the best practice is to use a different, randomly generated password for every account. This ensures that even if one account is breached, your other accounts stay secure. While it may seem tedious, using a password manager makes it easy to generate and store unique passwords.
Some tips for creating strong, unique passwords include:
- Use a random mix of letters, numbers and symbols. The more unpredictable, the better.
- Aim for at least 12 characters, but longer is safer.
- Avoid personal information or common dictionary words.
- Consider using a passphrase – a memorable phrase turned into a password.
By taking the time to create unique, complex passwords for TikTok and all your other accounts, you greatly reduce the chances of being hacked. Don’t take shortcuts by reusing passwords – your account security depends on it.
For more tips, check out this guide: How to Create a Strong, Unique Password
Enable Two-Factor Authentication
One of the most important things you can do to secure your TikTok account is to enable two-factor authentication (2FA). 2FA adds an extra layer of security by requiring you to enter a code from your phone or an authentication app when logging in, in addition to your password. According to BU TechWeb, 2FA immediately neutralizes the risks associated with compromised passwords by requiring that second factor.
The main benefit of 2FA is enhanced security. By requiring two forms of authentication, it makes it much harder for hackers to access your account even if they manage to get your password. 2FA protects against phishing attempts, password guessing, and other common account takeover methods. As Envision IT Solutions notes, 2FA improves security by asking the user for a second form of identification via SMS or an authentication app.
Overall, enabling 2FA should be one of the first things any TikTok user does to properly secure their account. The minor inconvenience of entering a second code is worth the vastly improved account security it provides.
Avoid Common or Easily Guessed Passwords
When creating a password, it’s important to avoid using common or easily guessed passwords. According to Wikipedia’s list of the 10,000 most common passwords, the top passwords people use are simple and predictable, like “123456”, “password”, “qwerty”, “12345”, and “12345678”.
Using common passwords like these makes it easy for hackers to guess your password and access your account. Research by NordPass shows the most common passwords are short and use basic keyboard patterns, names, or dictionary words (NordPass). Even though these passwords are convenient to remember, they provide very little security.
For your TikTok account, avoid using the 100 most common passwords, sequential or repeated numbers like “1234”, “1111”, or “121212′, keyboard patterns like “qwerty” or “asdfgh”, your name, birthdate, or other personal information. Instead, create a strong, unique password to maximize your account security.
Use a Password Manager
One of the best ways to create and manage strong, unique passwords is to use a dedicated password manager. Password managers are applications that generate, store, and sync passwords across devices for you. Popular options include 1Password, Bitwarden, and LastPass.
Password managers create randomly generated, complex passwords for each account. You only need to remember one master password to unlock access to all your other passwords. This means you can use extremely strong and unique passwords for every account without having to actually remember them all.
In addition to generating passwords, most password managers include password storage in an encrypted vault. Your master password decrypts the vault so you can access the passwords for your accounts. Password managers also sync passwords across devices, so you have access on your computer, smartphone, tablet, etc.
By using long, random passwords created by a password manager, your accounts will be far more secure than with commonly used short passwords. Let the password manager do the hard work of creating and remembering strong, unique passwords.
Include Letters, Numbers and Symbols
Using a combination of letters, numbers and symbols makes your password much harder for hackers to guess or crack with brute force attacks. Strong passwords contain at least three of the four main character types: lowercase letters, uppercase letters, numbers and symbols or special characters like !, @, # etc (1). Aim to create a password with a mix of random letters, numbers and symbols. Avoid using predictable sequences like “abc123” or keyboard patterns. The more types of characters in your password, the more secure it becomes. For example, “Cat123!” is a stronger password than just “password123” because it uses uppercase, lowercase, numbers and symbols.
There are 26 lowercase letters, 26 uppercase letters, 10 digits and 32 special characters available on a standard keyboard (2). With all these options, you can create unique passwords that are extremely difficult to crack.
Including unpredictable combinations of different character types creates password entropy, making passwords less susceptible to automated guessing. Just be sure to avoid common substitutions like @ for a or $ for s. The key is to use a truly random mix (3).
Change Passwords Periodically
It is recommended to change your TikTok password every 60-90 days according to cybersecurity experts (https://www.mcafee.com/learn/how-often-should-you-change-your-passwords/). While strong, unique passwords do not necessarily need to be changed frequently if properly protected, changing your password periodically can help reduce risk in case your password is compromised.
If a hacker gains access to your password, they could potentially have access to your account indefinitely if you keep the same password. By changing your password every few months, you limit the amount of time a hacker could have access if your password is breached before you realize it. This makes periodic password changes an important part of defense in depth security.
Of course, your password is more likely to be compromised if you use a weak, common or reused password. Using strong, unique passwords for each account makes periodic changes less critical, but can still provide an added layer of protection (https://www.pcmag.com/opinions/stop-changing-your-strong-unique-passwords-so-much). The key is finding the right balance for your specific security needs.
Watch Out for Phishing Attempts
One of the biggest threats to your TikTok account’s security is phishing. Phishing is when scammers try to trick you into giving them your password or other sensitive information. According to The Latest 2023 Phishing Statistics, globally 323,972 internet users fell victim to phishing attacks in 2021.
A common phishing technique is for scammers to send fake emails or messages pretending to be from TikTok. The message may claim there is a problem with your account that requires you to verify or update your password. However, legitimate companies like TikTok will never ask for your password over email or messages.
To avoid falling for phishing scams, never reveal your TikTok password in response to an email, text message, or social media message. TikTok will only ask you to enter your password directly through their official website or app.
Enable Login Notifications
TikTok provides a useful security feature that alerts you anytime someone logs into your account from a new device. This is extremely helpful for detecting unauthorized access or account hijacking. If an unknown device or person logs into your account, TikTok will send you a notification letting you know 1. This could be through an in-app alert, email, or push notification to your phone.
According to reports, this TikTok login notification contains details like the device model, location, and IP address of the new login 2. This allows you to quickly identify if it was an unauthorized login attempt. If you receive an alert about a suspicious new device, you can take steps like changing your password, enabling two-factor authentication, or contacting TikTok support.
Overall, enabling TikTok’s login notifications provides peace of mind and an early warning if your account security is ever compromised. It’s a simple but effective way to know if someone else is trying to access your TikTok account without permission 3.
