Password Safety Tips

Protect Your Password

The following tips can help keep your password secure:

• Make your password difficult to guess. Avoid using any part of your name, your birthday, or any words that can easily be associated with you.
• Use a combination of letters and numbers, and a mix of lower-case and capital letters.
• Use multiple passwords for your various accounts to decrease your risk in case one password is compromised.
• Don't write your password down where it could be compromised.

You can further protect your passwords by making sure that your virus-scanning software is kept up to date, and by running anti-spyware programs. These programs can help protect you from viruses or other malware that could compromise your identity -- even though your computer may seem to be working fine.

If you use Microsoft Windows, make sure your Windows updates are enabled to help keep your operating system protected. You can learn more about Microsoft Windows updates at Microsofts website.

Use extra caution when entering your password on a computer that doesn't belong to you. Viruses, spyware, or the browser’s settings might be used to compromise your account by recording your user name and password.