Creating secure or strong passwords can go a long way in protecting the security of your computer and the personal data stored on it. Your passwords are the gateway to everything identity thieves needs to create new credit card accounts or open up loans in your name. Having the strongest passwords possible should protect you from identity theft.
Incorporating a few important facets is all that it takes to create strong passwords. One of the most important strategies is to use a lengthy password of 8 to 14 characters in order to make it more difficult to guess.
Combining letters and symbols in a random fashion also makes it more difficult for someone to guess your password. The fewer letters and symbols that you use, the longer your password will have to be in order to be a strong one. Only using letters in your password weakens it. Even adding to its length is not going to strengthen it very much.
While incorporating numbers into passwords is a common practice, incorporating symbols is not quite as widely practiced. Using the shift key to access additional symbols is also a prudent practice.
Incorporate complexity into your password by mixing upper and lower case letters. The more variety you incorporate, the harder it will be for someone to guess your password.
In fact, you can create a password by taking the first letter of every word in a simple phrase and then adding in some numbers or symbols. For example, take the phrase, “I have two daughters and two sons who live with me.” You can then change the phrase into the following password by using just the first letter of each word: Ihtdatswlwm. Let’s mix it up a bit more since this password duplicates two letters which is a definite no-no. Instead of the second ‘t’ for the word ‘two,’ use the number 2. For the second ‘w,’ you can use a slash symbol. Now, your password becomes Ihtda2swl/m.
Writing passwords down often becomes necessary when an individual accumulates too many of them. In fact, it is better to write your passwords down than it is to use the same password over and over again. The only thing that you need to remember is to store your passwords in a safe hiding place, away from prying eyes. I advise against the use of a password manager or other software storage tool since this can easily become compromised through the Internet.
Remember that the strongest password is one that uses length and variety. Some practices to avoid when creating a password are:
- Never use real words that can be found in the dictionary.
- Avoid using duplicate letters, numbers, or symbols.
- Never use letters or numbers in their proper sequence such as abc or 123.
- Never use personal data such as birthdates, social security numbers, or telephone numbers.
- Avoid using the same password for more than one website. If an identity thief does get a hold of this password, then he will have access to all of your online accounts.
