The longer the password, the more secure it is. The standard 8 characters should only be your starting point, consider making them at least 12 characters long.

Never use default passwords, any of the following, or any password resembling the following:

• 12345678
• 11111111
• 123123
• ABC123
• Password
• Password1
• MyPass
• Qwerty

A few more tips:

• Never re-use old passwords
• Pick a unique password for every account
• Never use personal information (such as family names or birthdays)
• Never use your pet’s name
• Avoid using common words or sayings
• Don’t use the name of your favorite sports team or actor/actress
• Never share your passwords

Here’s an idea:

Pick your favorite line from your favorite song and use the first letter of each word in the line followed by a set of random numbers along with a special character. For example the line, “Help! I need somebody. Help! Not just anybody. Help!” Would be: HInsHnjaH158995!

That password is 16 characters long, contains both uppercase and lowercase, numbers, and a special character. Perfect for any account, easy for you to remember, and is very difficult for a hacker to try to figure out.

If you believe that you were hacked, always start by changing your password! Need help? Contact TeCHS

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Click the image below to download this password information as a handy reference flyer (PDF).