Community ManagerEA Forums Online Security Newsletter - Volume 1/ 2026
Welcome to the first edition of EA Forums Online Security Newsletter in 2026!
We’ve refreshed the visuals of our newsletter. What do you think?
We’re excited to introduce a new way to interact with the newsletter. But first, let’s talk about what hasn’t changed. Over the next 12 months, you can expect the same high-value educational content, covering the most important security topics for us gamers. Each month, you’ll have a chance to test yourself with a quiz, and just like in previous years (yes, we’re officially kicking off year 3 of the newsletter series!), we’re looking forward to hearing your tips and experiences related to online security.
What’s new?
A new home for the newsletter
The newsletter will now live in a different part of the forum: EA Community Discussion. This space better highlights the newsletter's community-driven nature and invites everyone to jump into the conversation.
New badges!
We’re introducing a more engaging and achievement-focused participation system. The 12 newsletter editions are now grouped into 4 Seasons. Throughout each season, you’ll work your way toward earning the coolest badge while tracking your progress on a leaderboard. Season 1 starts now! To learn more about how to participate, check out this article.
Not into leaderboards? No problem!
If ranked challenges aren’t your thing, that’s totally fine. You can continue engaging with the newsletter as usual and earn the Level 1 badge at the end of the season. Each season, the same badge will be awarded to all participants who choose the non-ranked path. Just complete at least one quiz during the season to receive your participation token.
Whew, that was a lot of information! If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment in the newsletter thread or in the EA Forums Online Security Newsletter Badge Handbook.
Now, without further ado, let’s get to the heart of our newsletter - Security Focus. We’re kicking off the year with a crucial topic: password hygiene.
Stay safe!
Use strong and unique passwords for every account
This is one of the most important steps you can take to protect your online security. Creating a strong password is the first step, but if that password is ever leaked (for example, through a breach) and you reuse it across multiple accounts, all of those accounts could be at risk.
What makes a password strong?
- A strong password should be:
- At least 16 characters long
- A mix of uppercase and lowercase letters
- Include numbers and special characters
This combination makes your password significantly harder to crack using automated password-cracking tools. You can test your password strength using tools like passwordmonster.com but please never post your password publicly on forums to ask if it’s strong enough.
An alternative: passphrases
Passphrases can be a great alternative to traditional passwords as long as the words you choose are truly random. Avoid using personal information or anything that could be publicly available. Don’t combine words that are naturally related (such as colors, cities, or animals). The more random the words, the stronger the passphrase.
For extra strength, mix uppercase and lowercase letters and add numbers or symbols.
Your digital keychain
Managing many strong passwords can feel overwhelming. To make this easier, consider using a password manager (password vault). These tools securely store your passwords and help you generate strong, unique ones for every account so you don’t have to remember them all yourself.
What is this place?
Community Spotlight is a special space in the newsletter dedicated to highlighting the contributions of our forum community. At the end of each edition, we’ll select one standout tip, comment, or other contribution related to community security and feature it right here.
Your contributions help decide what gets spotlighted through comments, likes, or simply by being an active and helpful member of the forum community (yes, we have eyes everywhere 😉).
