How to Create and Safeguard Secure Passwords

These days you can't walk the streets of your city or take a table in your favorite coffee shop without noticing multiple people utilizing multiple forms of technology. From BlackBerrys® and iPods® to iPhones® and Palm Pilots®, even laptops, electronic notebooks and MP3 players, we have truly become an on-the-go, information-consuming society.

But how many people who you see using these forms of technology have taken the time to protect them with secure and unbreakable passwords? How many people even know how to create such a password? Unfortunately, the vast majority of Americans continue to utilize simplistic and easy-to-remember passwords, such as the name of their pet, the date of their high school or college graduation, or even their favorite color or Hollywood actor.

Unfortunately, passwords such as these are some of the easiest to crack. And online hackers and identity thieves are waiting around every turn on the Internet information superhighway - waiting for the chance to break into your e-mail, online banking accounts, or even social networking sites and steal personal, private and valuable information. Here are a few ways you can prevent this from happening.

1. Start by Creating a Secure, Unbreakable Password

When creating a secure password, it is usually best to operate by two guidelines: long and complex. These are the best and most secure types of passwords because they can almost always withstand the hacking talents of even the most experienced of Internet criminals. Simply using the name of one of your children or the street on which you live will not cut it.

a. Begin by writing two to five sentences in paragraph form. Make certain that these sentences have a unique and personal meaning to you. Avoid including the names of family members, pets, etc. in your sentences.

Example: Tennis is the best sport to play because it develops coordination. Always keep your eye on the ball (18 words in length)

b. Next, take the first letter of each word in your sentences and create an acronym. This will require that you memorize your sentences exactly.

Example: TITBSTPBIDCAKYEOTB (18 letters long)

c. And if you really want to make things interesting, you can always change certain letters to upper and lower case (TiTbStPbIdC) or add symbols (?!#$%^&*) to the beginning, middle and end of your string of letters.

2. Keep your Password(s) Stored on a USB Drive or other Removable Storage Device

If you are one of the countless computer and Internet users who have trouble remembering their passwords, avoid writing them down on sticky notes or sheets of paper and stuffing them into your wallet or purse. Instead, store them electronically. USB (flash) drives and external hard drives are a great place to start.

Create a list of your passwords in document form, store them on the drive and keep the drive in a safe and secure location. Many USB drives now come outfitted with key rings for easy connection to your car keys. By keeping the drive on your person at all times, or at least when you are out of the house, your password list is less likely to end up in the wrong hands.

3. Change your Password(s) on a Regular Basis at Irregular Intervals

Do not make the mistake of thinking that, once created, your password is secure for life. Too many hackers are utilizing keystroke programs to obtain unchanged passwords. For this reason, you should change your password every few months. However, you should avoid changing your password on a regular, consistent basis. If you change your password after two months, wait three months before changing it again and change it on a different day of the week than before.

4. Download or Purchase a Password Manager or Password Safe

This tip is particularly useful for individuals who must remember multiple and drastically different passwords (10 or more). Free and open source password managers like KeePass® (http://keepass.info/) are the way to go.

Think of the software as a virtual combination lock safe, in which you can store as many passwords as needed. This database is then protected by one master password. By utilizing this type of software, you will only have to remember one, single password in the event that you need to retrieve another.

So if you're worried about becoming one of the countless victims of identity theft, remember that there are plenty of ways you can protect your online information from Internet hackers and thieves. Utilize one or all of the aforementioned tips for creating and protecting secure passwords. These tips will not only secure online information, but the information stored in your PDA devices as well. There is no reason your electronic information should ever fall into someone else's hands!

**Note: this article comes from the writer's personal experience with and knowledge about electronic password security, including experience gleaned from several communication technology courses taken at the college level.