Security Tip: Choose and Protect Your Passwords
According to the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team, passwords are a common form of authentication and are often the only barrier between you and your personal information. There are several programs attackers can use to help guess or "crack" passwords. But if you choose good passwords and keep them confidential, you can make it more difficult for an unauthorized person to access your information.
You should use these techniques to develop unique passwords for each of your accounts:
- Use different passwords on different systems and accounts.
- Don't use passwords that are based on personal information that can be easily accessed or guessed.
- Use a combination of capital and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters.
- Don't use words that can be found in any dictionary of any language.
- Develop mnemonics such as passphrases for remembering complex passwords.
- Consider using a password manager program to keep track of your passwords
To find out more on how to choose and protect a secure password, click here.