Most break-ins into websites and mailboxes start with a weak or reused password. This article shows what a strong password looks like and which passwords you have with DomainsOnline.
What makes a password strong
- Long: at least 12 characters. Length helps more than special characters.
- Random: no names, birthdays, company names, your domain or words like “password” or “admin”.
- Mixed: upper and lower case letters, numbers and symbols.
- Used once: a different password for every account. If one service is hacked, the others stay safe.
An easy way to get a long password you can still type: string four or five random words together with numbers and symbols, for example Lamp7-river-Orange!cloud. Don't use this example – make your own.
Use a password manager
Nobody can remember a different long password for every account. A password manager does it for you: it creates random passwords, saves them encrypted and fills them in for you. Browsers such as Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari have one built in, and there are separate apps for your computer and phone. Protect the password manager itself with one long password that you don't use anywhere else.
Your passwords with DomainsOnline
With a hosting plan you have several separate logins. Give each one its own password:
- Client area (domainsonline.co.za) – orders, invoices, domains and tickets. See Change your password.
- cPanel – your website files, e-mail accounts and databases. In cPanel you change it under Preferences → Password & Security.
- Each mailbox – for webmail and the mail app on your phone and computer. See Change a mailbox password.
- WordPress – the admin login of your website. See Reset your WordPress admin password.
- FTP accounts – if you upload files with a program such as FileZilla.
Keep your passwords safe
- DomainsOnline never asks for your password by e-mail or phone. Never send a password in an e-mail or a support ticket. See Spot phishing and fake DomainsOnline e-mails.
- Don't save passwords in a text file on your desktop or on a note stuck to your screen.
- Change a password straight away if you think someone else knows it, or if you shared it with a web designer who no longer works for you.
- For cPanel, also switch on a second login step with your phone: see Two-factor authentication for cPanel.
Related articles
- Change your password
- Two-factor authentication for cPanel
- Spot phishing and fake DomainsOnline e-mails
Need help? Open a ticket or call us on 082 412 6556.
