4 Easy Ways to Keep your Passwords Safe

The internet is becoming more and more entwined with our daily lives and well-being.  We can bank online, shop online, socialize online, and conduct business online…all of which require us to have accounts that hold sensitive information (credit card and bank numbers, phone numbers, mailing addresses, the identities of our friends and family).  The only thing stopping people from seeing this info is the password we chose to protect each account.  Here are four basic rules (that can’t be mentioned enough) you should follow to make sure your passwords are as safe as they can be.

1. Have a different password for each account/service you use
1. If the password for your online banking is the same password you use for your email, then you’re exposing yourself to unecessary risk.
2. Have separate passwords to make sure that, in the event that one becomes compromised, the others are still safe.
2. Change your passwords at least three times a year
1. You can never be too careful, so change up your passwords every four months
2. (TIP: Don’t write down these passwords anywhere someone can see them)
3. Make your passwords unique and hard-to-guess
1. Don’t let your password be something generic (“Password1″)…
2. or easy-to-guess (like your birthday or child’s name).
4. Keep your passwords a secret
1. No one should know your passwords
2. If you do HAVE to tell someone your password, change it the moment they’re done using whatever account you granted access to

• If the password for your online banking is the same password you use for your email, then you’re exposing yourself to unecessary risk.
• Have separate passwords to make sure that, in the event that one becomes compromised, the others are still safe.