Okay, I imagine that you already have a pretty good idea of what a password is, right? That secret code that you type in to login to a website? But, do you know how to come up with a really great password? Well, you should. You likely have a lot of important information out there on the internet, and having a good password can keep your reputation, your finances, your job, etc. safe.
First, let me just give you a quick run down of what your password should NOT be. A quick run down of what are commonly used as passwords and the first things that someone trying to crack into your account would try. This includes: kids’ names, pets’ names, maiden name, important birthdays, address, favorite flower/animal/color. I think you get the picture.
Now, how to come up with a really great password… first, it needs to be something that you will remember. I know, I know, I just told you to NOT you all kinds of easy to remember things. So, think of something weird that you just can’t seem to get out of your brain and don’t typically share. This could be your 3rd grade best friend’s phone number or a bizarre character in a novel who really stuck in your head. Have something in mind? Good. The best passwords are a combination of letters AND numbers. So, try to come up with one of each. Or, even if you have chosen “Methuselah” as your random code word you can remember, now it’s a safer to chose your grandmother’s birthday as your numbers. “Methuselah223″. This still isn’t an ideal password, but it will protect your personal information a lot better than “Rexdog” will.
So, how can you come up with an even better password? Mix up your letters with numbers and symbols. For example, with “Methuselah”, you can change it up to “M3thus3l@h”. There are a lot of symbols and numbers out there which are similar enough to letters to easily remember them. Change out ones which are easy for you to remember.
Now, the ideal password? The ideal password is something which has absolutely no meaning to you and is absolute nonsense. For example “F7G@40S”. If you can remember a password like that, use one!
Here is one last hint on keeping you passwords safe… do NOT keep them on your desk, in a drawer, taped in your wallet, inside your kitchen cabinet, etc. That is very unsafe. Also, if you need to share your password with someone for some reason, please think carefully doing so. They tell you never to give your password to anyone, and that is good advice, but sometimes it is necessary. Be intelligent about who you are sharing it with. If you take it in for repair and need to give them your password, change it when you get your computer home.
I hope that this is helpful! Next week, I will be discussing Keychain Access which is a great way to save your passwords.
Posted by molly on Feb 1, 2010 in Uncategorized | Comments Off
