Do you use the same password across multiple accounts? Have you never changed your Amazon password? If this sounds familiar, it‘s important you take steps to improve security by updating your Amazon password. A strong, unique password is the first line of defense to protect your account from being compromised.
Changing your password on Amazon is a straightforward process and can be done right from their website or mobile app. In this comprehensive guide, you‘ll learn step-by-step methods to update your login credentials, plus in-depth analysis on password security along with tips on creating better credentials.
Why Changing Your Amazon Password Matters
With major data breaches happening way too often these days, it‘s crucial to ensure your online accounts are protected. Amazon stores valuable personal information like your name, address, payment methods, and more that you don‘t want to fall into the wrong hands.
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Over 15 million Amazon accounts were impacted during a 2018 data breach causing exposed names, emails, phone numbers, and passwords.
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Reports show compromised Amazon accounts can sell for up to $400 on cybercrime dark web forums, due to the potential value of personal info, payment data, gift cards and more.
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Phishing remains one of the top threats to Amazon accounts. Despite security awareness training, 1 in 3 employees still fall victim to phishing emails aimed at stealing usernames and passwords.
Here are key reasons why changing your Amazon password regularly is vital:
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Prevent unauthorized access – If someone else learns your password, they can log into your account and view private data or make charges without your permission. Updating your password protects against this.
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Use unique passwords – Reusing the same password across multiple accounts makes you vulnerable if any one site is breached. Have a unique password for every account.
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Improved security – Strong, complex passwords with a mix of characters are far more secure than simple or common passwords that are easier to guess.
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Peace of mind – Having a tight handle on your account security brings comfort knowing your valuable personal information is safe.
Now let‘s dive deeper into password security fundamentals, then go over the step-by-step process to change your Amazon password using either the website or mobile app.
Password Security 101
To understand why complex, frequently changed passwords are so crucial, it helps to know how passwords are protected and cracked by nefarious hackers.
Password Hashing and Encryption
When you enter a password, the system doesn‘t store the actual text. Instead, it runs the credentials through a cryptographic hash function to transform it into a completely different string called a "hash value."
Popular hash methods like BCrypt apply additional encryption through techniques like salting, which adds random data to generate unique hashes even for identical passwords.
This hash output is what gets stored, so there‘s no visibility to the original plain text password. Even internal IT teams can‘t look up what your actual password is! When you enter your password to log in later, the function runs a hash again which is compared to the stored hash value to unlock the account.
Cracking Hashes Through Brute Force
The downside is that hashes can still be compromised if hackers breach the stored data. They run complex brute force programs that create hashes from millions of sequential password guesses until matching the actual stored hash.
Given enough computing power, any single password can be cracked eventually. But salting and robust hashing algorithms like BCrypt make this exponentially harder.
That‘s why relying on password complexity alone is so crucial – longer passwords with multiple character types take prohibitively long to hash and match through these brute force attacks.
Offline Password Cracking Attacks
In addition brute force attacks, hackers also leverage offline password attacks when they gain access to the actual password database hashes themselves:
- Dictionary attacks take real dictionary words and common phrases, hash them rapidly and compare against stolen hashes to uncover ones matching real passwords
- Through rainbow table precomputed hash tables for common passwords
- Using social engineering knowledge of user behaviors and tendencies
All these offline methods exploit people‘s tendency to create simple, easy to remember credentials focused on words, dates and personal info rather than random strings.
Emerging Authentication Technologies
Given the vulnerabilities of passwords for securing accounts, alternative authentication mechanisms are emerging leveraging biometrics, distributed ledgers, and more.
Biometric authentication using your unique fingerprint, iris scan or facial geometry provides one convenient approach to prove identity. However mass adoption has been slower due to cost and accuracy limitations.
Blockchain based self-sovereign identity management offers another model where users control and share digital credentials securely without centralized account passwords. Major tech firms are investing billions into decentralized identity verification leveraging blockchain and distributed ledgers.
Single sign-on (SSO) platforms also simplify login while enhancing security through third-party identity providers like Login with Amazon. Reducing unique passwords needed for each app or site through secure SSO helps curb password fatigue.
While adoption of these replacements for passwords have picked up steam in recent years, the scale and convenience of account username/password pairs means it will still dominate online authentication for years to come.
That‘s why taking password security seriously now is so critical by always using strong, unique credentials for every account along with multi-factor authentication (MFA) protection.
How to Change Your Amazon Password on the Website
Now that you understand fundamentals around password security, let‘s walk through how to easily change your Amazon credentials directly through their website:
Step 1: Sign into Your Amazon Account
Go to Amazon.com and click the "Sign In" button at the top right corner. Enter your email address and current password when prompted then select "Sign In".
- Having trouble remembering old passwords? Browsers like Chrome allow you to view and even generate passwords you have saved locally when signing in.
Step 2: Go to "Login & Security" Settings
From your Amazon account homepage, click on "Login & Security" along the top menu. This houses all your account security settings.
You can also scroll down and find this under "Account Settings" links.
Step 3: Select "Edit" Next to Password Field
Under the "Login and authentication" section, locate the "Password" field. Click the "Edit" button on the right side.
- See the password best practices later for guidance on creating a nice strong password.
Step 4: Enter Your New Password
You will first be prompted to re-enter your current password. This ensures someone else didn‘t already get into your account.
Next, type your brand new desired password twice to confirm the text matches.
- For optimum security, ensure this new password is at least 12 characters, includes uppercase, numbers, symbols and is 100% unique from all other accounts
Step 5: Save Changes
Double and triple check your new credential is entered properly in both fields to avoid typos or mistakes.
Finally, select the "Save changes" button at the bottom of the screen to officially update your Amazon password.
That‘s all there is it to! Amazon will keep you logged so you can begin securely accessing your account with the new password going forward.
Enabling Two-Factor Authentication
In addition to a new password, for optimal account protection consider enabling two-factor authentication (2FA). This adds a second step to logging in where Amazon will send a unique 6-digit verification code to your mobile device that must be entered after the password.
Activating 2FA adds a substantial extra barrier for anyone else attempting unauthorized access, even if they have your password through a breach or phishing trick.
Password Manager Recommendations
Managing hard to remember, complex passwords for the dozens of accounts we all have these days is tricky. That‘s where a dedicated password manager comes heroically into play!
Password manager tools like LastPass and 1Password securely store credentials in encrypted vaults locked behind one master password. Features include:
- Automatically generating super strong random passwords for each site
- Securely filling login forms on any site or app
- Changing stored passwords easily with one click
- Sharing passwords securely with other users
- Cross platform syncing across desktop and mobile
Based on multiple expert reviews, LastPass consistently scores as the top free option while 1Password dominates the premium landscape in 2023.
LastPass wins overall for the stellar free offering, while 1Password shines for those willing to pay annually for enhanced security like Secret Key encryption plus the elegant design and UX. Most other competitors trail far behind the two market leaders.
Give one of these leading solutions a try take the headache out of password management!
Changing Amazon Password on Mobile App
Don‘t have easy access to a computer? No worries! Updating your Amazon password directly from the mobile app is just as simple.
Here are the steps:
Step 1: Open Amazon App & Sign In
First download the Amazon Shopping app from the iOS App Store or Android Play Store if you haven‘t already. Open the app up, then tap the profile icon on the bottom toolbar to navigate to the sign in page.
Enter your current email address and password when prompted.
Step 2: Go to "Your Account" Page
From your Amazon account homepage, tap on "Your Account" right below your name towards the top of the screen.
This houses all settings related to your account profile, order history, login credentials and more.
Step 3: Select "Login & Security"
Scroll down the Your Account page until you see the "Login & security" panel, then tap to open.
You will also find options to update your account email, phone number or enable two-step verification here.
Step 4: Follow Prompts to Enter New Password
Just like within the Amazon website, tap through the screens presented to:
- Confirm your current password
- Enter your new desired password
- Retype the new password again to confirm
Follow those steps, and voila! Your Amazon app will instantly be updated with the fresh credential.
Tips for Remembering New Passwords
One tricky aspect when changing passwords routinely is memorizing those new login credentials each time they change.
Here are some handy tips and tricks for keeping new passwords top of mind:
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Leverage browser password managers like Chrome and Firefox which save and fill passwords for you on websites. Just remember the master password protecting that digital vault!
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Create passphrases rather than cryptic passwords using 5 or 6 memorable words together which increases complexity exponentially but easier to recall.
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Write passwords down temporarily on post-its or notebooks and store somewhere very physically secure like a locked safe when still memorizing. Just don‘t leave laying around digitally!
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Overcommunicate password changes with any family, team members or friends that may login to shared accounts and need the new details. Don‘t let them get locked out!
Relying on basic memory alone to recall hard-to-guess passwords does prove difficult. The right tools and techniques make it far more achievable.
Guidelines for Strong Password Creation
Now let‘s review some best practices to keep in mind when creating new passwords. Follow these rules of thumb:
- 12+ characters minimum – The longer the password, the more combinations a hacker has to attempt guessing
- Mix character types – Combine lower and uppercase letters, numbers, symbols for maximum complexity
- Avoid personal info – Never include names, dates of birth or other data easily tied to you
- No dictionary words – Everyday words or phrases are weakened by dictionary attacks
- Uniqueness – Absolutely never reuse the same password across multiple accounts
You can check new password strength using online strength check tools before applying.Aim for at least 80+ scores for adequate security.
WhenUPDATING existing passwords, avoid just appending numbers or special characters. Those incremental changes still stem from the original and remain vulnerable.
Pro tip: replace letters with number or symbol lookalikes to transform passwords completely. An "a" becomes "@" or "4" for example.
Following these standards results in far more secure passwords like this example:
M7%tR!1hG#21
Certainly tough to remember, but extremely resilient against most password attacks when hashed and salted correctly.
For everyday convenience though, a password manager handles all that complexity for you!
Additional Password Security Tips
Here are some other password management best practices for ensuring account safety:
- Avoid password reuse – Unique passwords for every site, app and account is safest
- Don‘t overshare passwords – Only provide login credentials with very trusted parties on strict need basis
- Change every 90 days – Update passwords routinely even without suspicion of a breach
- Enable two-factor authentication – Adds substantial extra login protection across accounts
- Clear browser history frequently – Reduce exposure of account usernames/passwords in browser caches
- Watch out for phishing – High percentage of credential theft starts with phishing emails or texts
Following these tips in addition to creating complex, unique passwords significantly reduces your risk of account hijacking.
Password Security Remains Critical
Like it or not, password authentication continues dominating digital security across devices and accounts for both consumers and businesses.
But taking password protection seriously by using strong credentials and updating them routinely limits exposure to emerging hacking threats.
Combined with robust identity management solutions plus multi-factor authentication, account security can be air tight.
Conclusion
Maintaining strong password hygiene remains one of the vital best practices for securing sensitive details across your digital accounts.
Take just a few minutes today to login Amazon and update your password, along with other sites where you reuse credentials.
Consider enabling two-factor authentication for an added layer of login protection too.
Following the simple step-by-step instructions above makes changing Amazon passwords on both desktop and mobile a breeze.
Invest in a password manager as well to conveniently handle all your complex, unique credentials across each account and application.
Stay vigilant in your password security habits – your identity and data depends on it!
