Choosing Better Passwords
Here are a few hints on choosing better passwords.- use longer passwords
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- pick something memorable like My'56CottageInperth or My'56CinP
- use phrases that mean something only to you, like my3kiDs8-4-3
- condense phrases like "My email password is very important" into shorthand like mEMpiVImp! (but don't use song lyrics)
- add numbers but not birth years (e.g. cmip76b not bobby1980)
- note that 3 in place of E, and 9 in place of G does not fool the robots
- don't reuse passwords
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- use a different password on every site, and not just facebook123 and twitter123
- pick something awful, or use a random noise generator
- use browser memory
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- let your web browser remember most of your passwords
- except for your bank passwords and your email passwords
- lie to security questions
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- or be creative
- don't give answers that can easily be found in Facebook
- write it down
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- write them down somewhere
- so your family can close your Facebook account
- more creative passwords are also more easily forgotten
- store in a safety deposit box, perhaps
More Hints
on websites
- If the site has an indicator, keep an eye on "you last logged in from ..."
- Avoid giving away personal info like your birth date. (But make yourself old enough, Yahoo still thinks I'm 9 and won't let me use all of the features.)
on your home computer
- make a login account for each family member
- let only one be the Administrator (yes it's a pain)
- Never click on links in unsolicited email
- Be cautious with links in email from your friends and suppliers
in email or on the phone
- Your bank will never forget your information and ask you to type it somewhere
- Your friends and grandchildren will not ask you for bail money
- bail money should not be sent through Western Union
- Microsoft is not watching your computer for problems
- Nobody really wants to use your bank account to hide 13 Million Dollars