The biggest part of online and computer security is figuring out a strong password. Today’s post will be short, to the point and, I hope, fun. Here we go:

1. WordPress passwords are already quite secure, I mean the default ones. They are made up of letters (caps and small), numbers and symbols. When it comes times to add a new user, here’s a neat trick that I use with the help of Google Translate. I type in a phrase that is easy for me to remember, then I translate it into a foreign language. That foreign language has to use the same letters and symbols as English, Chinese doesn’t work, but if you choose something like Creole, this system will work well.

Example: I hate chickens translates in Creole to: M ‘rayi poul

That example is far too short to be really secure but I’m sure you know what I mean. The best part of this is that some of the symbols are already there. French uses different accents with some letters which would be very difficult to crack.

2. Mnemonic passwords are always fun, too. You can make up your own or try this website: Mnemonic Password Generator It will create a password for you which should be easy to remember with the use of sounds and the use of words for the five symbols in the generator.

3. Simply using 3 instead of e or 5 instead of f will create a strong password. Add to that some symbols, maybe enclosing everything in (brackets) works well, too. Typing symbols instead of your year of birth is another suggestion. !(%@ is 1952, right? Mix things up a bit and use things you know as well as mnemonics and you’ll be secure in everything you do online.

4. Passwords for online banking, email and blogs should be very secure. Keeping track of them on your computer doesn’t have to be as secure but you still want to prevent anyone from accessing them, just in case your computer is stolen. Using Locknote, as described in my last two posts is easy and fast. Send the Locknote to yourself in an email and keep a copy in your Dropbox.

5. Finally, change your passwords every few months. If you feel that something strange is happening in Facebook or your email account, change your password immediately. Don’t wait! If you’ve clicked on something and don’t feel comfortable about it, change your password immediately. Getting your account back after you’ve been locked out is time consuming and, frankly, embarrassing.

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