How to Keep Your Passwords Safe

In an ideal word, you would be able to memorize your computer website passwords and then be able to use the same passwords whenever you establish an online account. But in reality, you need to take several steps to protect your passwords and make sure that your business Internet accounts are safe.

Change Your Passwords

It is more difficult to hit a moving target, and that is why you should change your passwords frequently to protect them. The more random your passwords are, the more difficult it is for a hacker to figure them out. Do not use a pattern to your passwords when you change them. Make all of your passwords completely random. For maximum protection, you should change your passwords at least once a week. But if you are unable to keep that schedule, then changing your passwords at least once a month will help in keeping your accounts safe.

Use Different Words

One of the biggest mistakes that business people have when they open new Internet accounts is that they use the same initial passwords all of the time. Your new account passwords should be as random as your established account passwords. If you use the same initial password all of the time, then you may attract hackers who follow you around on the Internet and strike at your new accounts. Use a random pattern for your new account passwords in the same way that you create random passwords for existing accounts.

Write Them Down

Do not use a computer word processor to store your passwords. If your business computers are ever compromised, then all of your passwords will be there for the hacker to see. Write your passwords down on a piece of paper and keep that paper in a safe place. It is not out of the question to invest in a small office safe to keep your passwords safe. When you consider that your Internet passwords protect access to all of your online vendor accounts, online banking accounts and your social media profiles, it makes sense to keep your password list as safe as you possibly can.

Limit Access

Limiting access to your Internet passwords means two things. The first thing is to maintain control on who knows your passwords. Aside from yourself, only key personnel in your company need those passwords. Be very careful on who you allow access to your Internet passwords, and keep a list of the people that do have the information.

The other aspect of limiting access is clearing out your web browser’s cache as often as possible. Your computer stores your passwords to websites to allow you easy access each time you access those sites. But those stored passwords can be used against you if someone slips into your office and gets access to your computer. Clear out your cache at least once a day, and put a password on your computer’s screensaver that will prevent access after it has been sitting for a while. Never use public computers to access your business accounts.

Peter Wendt is a writer and researcher living in Austin, Texas. He recommends you check out this free information