Password Tips

Protect Your Usernames and Passwords
Your user IDs and passwords are like keys to your important, secure, and personal information. Protect them as you would any other sensitive documents. 


Tips for Creating a Secure Password

  • Passwords should be at least eight characters long to make it hard for someone to guess it correctly
  • Alternate using uppercase and lowercase letters as well as numbers. Substitute symbols for letters (!,@,#, etc.) 
  • Substitute numbers for letters. For example, use the number 0 for the letter O or the number 1 for the letter l
  • Numbers can also stand for words such as “4” instead of “for” or turn “great” into “gr8”
  • Pick a phrase that is easy to remember and use the first letter of each word. For example, “I am too smart for my own good” becomes “ia2s4mog”
  • Avoid using things like your name, birthday, or Social Security number
  • Avoid using simple dictionary words, names of pets, or other personal information
  • Avoid using a sequence of numbers or letters such as “abcd1234”

Tips to Keep Your Usernames and Passwords Secure

  • Use a variety of user IDs and passwords, especially for online bank accounts, credit cards, and other sensitive web sites
  • Choose a user ID and password that you will easily remember but is hard for anyone else to figure out
  • Never tell anyone your user ID or password
  • Never provide your user ID or password by e-mail. Any e-mail that requests your password, or requests that you go to a web site to verify your password, is almost certainly a fraud
  • Do not type user IDs or passwords on public computers such as those in Internet cafés, computer labs, or airport lounges. Do not use these computers to check online e-mail, chat rooms, bank balances, business mail, or any other account that requires a user ID or password
  • When writing down your passwords, keep them safe. Never leave them where they can be found
  • If you are ever concerned that someone might know your user ID or password, change it immediately
  • Instead of writing down your password, consider using a hint to remember it. For example, if your password is IgCHSi81, which stands for “I graduated Central High School in 1981”, your password hint could be “diploma”
  • Keep your Login Locker Password Organizer in a safe place, like your wallet or purse, or keep it hidden in a secret place