Are your Passwords Safe?

There has been some talk recently regarding your passwords for sites online. It seems as if there are passwords for everything these days. Furthermore, it seems like there is a site for everything. Your bank, credit card companies, mortgage and vehicle lenders, and so many more have sites now. You can pay your bill online, check balances, and many other things. With those sites and options come, you guessed it, more passwords.

Most of us try to use the same username and password for everything, but sometimes that doesn’t work. You may be able to pick your username for your credit card accounts, but you may not be able to do that with your mortgage company. So the question arises. How do you keep track of everything?

We all know that we must keep our passwords safe because others can get a hold of them and damage what we have online. But, we may not know how to do this. Here are some tips that will help you to keep your passwords safe.

1. Strong passwords

A strong password consists of letters, numbers, and characters. You should have at least one of each and you should also have one capital letter. For example, johndoe is not a good password. This is too weak. One way to get around this is to use JohnDoe123. Another way you can go is to use johnDoe123$ as your password.

2. Be creative

Don’t use your name, your child’s name, or your birthday as your password. This is too easy for hackers to get around. For example, john082580 is not a good password if your name is John and your birthday is August 25, 1980. If you really need to go this route with your password, here is an example of what you should use. DoeJohn*82580 would be a good password because your name is backwards, you through a character in there and you left out the zero that would normally go in front of the eight.

3. Words

Use words rather than names when you create your password. When you use a word it’s harder for people to figure out what your password is. Do you have a word that you use all the time? Maybe you have a nickname you go by or something you call your spouse or child. Come up with something that you will always remember and then add a character and a number or two. When you do this you will have a better chance of keeping it safe.

Another problem we sometimes have with our passwords is remembering them. Since we have so many, we may find ourselves writing them down. This is ok if you don’t take it anywhere with you. If you have a desk top and a laptop and you bring your laptop with you, it’s not a good idea to bring that sheet of paper with you. The reason for this is because you could leave it somewhere or if your laptop is stolen your paper goes with it.

With that said, you may think a spreadsheet on your computer would work. That is ok as long as you password protect it. Now the problem with this is if you forget the password you can’t make any changes. Another problem you might have is if your computer crashes all your passwords go with it.

Almost everything has a password so we must do everything we can to protect them. Create strong passwords and consider all your options when it comes to storing them.

Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com

Corrie Petersen runs a successful Virtual Assistant business. She enjoys helping others reach their goals and dreams. Check out her website at www.virtualfreedom4you.com.

Print This Article Comment on Article Email to Friends Ezine Ready

Please Rate this Article

5 out of 54 out of 53 out of 52 out of 51 out of 5 

Not yet Rated