Passwords Should Be...

Do you often have trouble coming up with the perfect password? Whether you're purchasing something online or you're signing up for some kind of newsletter, etc., a password is usually required. Plus, we all know (well, we should) that it's best to use a different password for each thing we do online. And with more and more services being added everyday, it can sometimes be hard to come up with new passwords to use. So, I thought I would take some time today and try to help you out. What do you say we create some passwords?!

According to security experts, there are six rules you should follow when making up your passwords. First of all, they should be random. By that, I mean you should choose a series of characters that are completely random to everyone else, but make complete sense to you. The second rule follows up with that by saying passwords should be unique. Again, just try to create a password that no one else will be able to easily guess. The third rule states that a password should be, at the very least, eight characters long, but the longer it is, the better. If you can come up with a password that's 14 characters or more, go for it!

The next rule says that a password should be a combination of upper and lowercase letters and there should be at least one number or symbol included in there somewhere. The more variety you add to your password, the better it will be. The fifth rule simply states that you should change your password regularly and frequently. The longer you leave the same password in place, the easier it will be for a hacker to grab it. And lastly, you should type your password out manually each and every time you're asked for it. Yes, the "Remember Password" feature is nice, but it's really best to enter it in each time. If you follow these six simple rules, you will have the most secure and perfect passwords in town. That's something to be proud of!

~ Erin

What's Your Password?

Steve came across a very interesting article the other day and lucky for all of you, he shared it with me! How does that make you lucky, you ask? Well, the article is titled "10 Most Common Passwords" and it included some mind blowing information that, in my opinion, all of you should know about too. Below is a list of the 10 most commonly used passwords by computer users today. Check it out!

1.) password
2.) 123456
3.) qwerty
4.) abc123
5.) letmein
6.) monkey
7.) myspace1
8.) password1
9.) link182
10.) your first name

Now, let me ask you this: Is your current password on that list? If so, I bet you already know what's coming next. Yep, you are putting yourself at great risk by using a password like that. Passwords like those can be guessed by hackers in a matter of seconds, which means you're only making things easier for them. All in all, if you're using one of the above passwords, I urge you to change it right away. If you need help coming up with a more secure password, read this tip. It's very easy to create a password that will keep you better protected, so please do it today. For goodness sake, please keep yourself safe!

~ Erin

Password Chart

It's very important to think of secure passwords these days, especially with identity theft at an all time high. Luckily, Password Chart is here to help. It’s very easy to use and it will help you generate some of the strongest passwords you've ever used!

To create a personalized chart, you need to type in a phrase, a few words, numbers, etc. that mean something to you. Your chart will be generated from those words. For example, I put in "I like cheese."

Now, you need to put in a password for the chart to convert. For example, "qwerty."

Between the two, it generates this password: tttR3JW94gq

For more information on how it works, check out the How It Works link at the bottom of the page. It's simply an easy way to convert a weak password into something much stronger.

You can also print out your chart if you want. To do that, right click on the image and choose Print. That will enable you to use it offline as well. At the very least, this is a fun way to generate a secure password, so be sure to check it out today!

http://www.passwordchart.com/

~ Amanda

Sing Your Password

I know we featured a password tip in the newsletter just the other day, but in the meantime, one of our loyal readers (thank you Mr. Kenneth J. Roberts!) sent me another great password idea. It's the method he uses for all of his passwords and I thought it was so great, I just had to pass it along to all of you as well. So, if you ever have trouble coming up with secure passwords, you might want to give this a try. It's a sure fire way to remember every single one you create. Here we go!

Now, I'm sure you're wondering why the title to today's Quick Tip is "Sing Your Password," right? Well, that's because a great way to create a new password is to use parts of your favorite songs! An easy way is to pick one of your favorite songs and take the first letter of each word in a phrase in the song. For example, one of my favorite songs is "The Dance" by Garth Brooks and one of the best lines in that song (in my opinion) is, "Our lives are better left to chance." So, my new password would be "olabltc."

To make it even more secure, you could add a few numbers or symbols to the end of it as well. I like the number 25, so I would use the password of "olabltc25." It's as easy as that! And the best thing is, you'll never forget your password, because it's simply some of the letters from your favorite songs. All you have to do is sing the song in your head and you'll have your password. It's just another way to make passwords that will keep you as safe as possible. Give it a shot today and see what you can come up with!

~ Erin