How to Create Secure Passwords

Choosing your password well and keeping it a secret can be key steps to safeguarding all of your online transactions. To create a password that is more difficult to guess, use a combination of letters and numbers for passwords you create, such as “4funcallC3po” or “Il9vemyd1g.” Certain passwords are easier to compromise, so try to avoid common pitfalls by creating secure passwords:

 
  • Don’t base your password on personal information—such as the name of your pet or your company.
  • Don’t use a word found in the dictionary as your password.
  • Avoid substituting numbers for letters, for example: using a zero for the letter “o” or a one for the letter “i.” These substitutions are well known and predictable.
  • Don’t use your User ID as your password.
  • Don’t use simple number sequences like “12345” or a series of duplicate numbers like “11111”
  • Change your password frequently, and don’t “recycle” a password you’ve used somewhere else.

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