So you changed your password(s) to “strong” passwords. Good job! Now make sure you don’t undo all that good work. Here are some other suggestions for keeping your passwords safe:
- Do not keep a password list next to your PC, in the top drawer of your desk or on a sticky note attached to your monitor. You might as well not have passwords if you do that.
- If you must write down your passwords, keep the list secure (and preferably locked up).
- Don’t tell your passwords to anyone else! (This is a very good rule of thumb. It is negotiable if you are using a shared PC like a single computer at home.)
- Change your passwords on a regular basis. Passwords on a business network or PC should be changed more frequently than those on a “home” PC.
- Do not use one password for all of your accounts. If you do that and someone figures out your password, they have access to everything! As an example, use one password to get on to your PC, one to access your Internet email account(s), another for Internet shopping, another to access your personal banking account(s), etc. (Yes, I know that’s a lot of passwords and you’ll never remember them all – I have an answer for you in another post.)
