Use Strong Passwords
It is so important to have strong passwords for all of your online accounts. You should have a unique password for every service you use. Re-using the same password would allow a hacker to break into not only one account, but all of your accounts that use that password.
Here are some tips for choosing a strong password:
- At least 8 characters long
- Use both upper- and lower-case letters
- Include at least one number
- Include special characters such as ! # $ @ _ + , ? [ ] .
- Don’t use your account ID;
- Don’t include your first, middle or last name
- Don’t use words that appear in any English dictionary
- Don’t repeat the same character either upper- or lower-case
- Don’t use a series of 3 or more ascending or descending characters, ex: ABC or xyz
- Don’t use your child’s name or your pet’s name
- Spell words incorrectly or phonetically, such as b4 for ‘before’
- Use the first letter of each word in a song title or sentence