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Most online applications require the use of passwords to aid them in making the storage of user information in those applications more secure. Identity thieves and other criminals use a variety of ways to find and steal the sensitive information of others. It is not always just your credit card numbers or banking codes, they are after; criminals have used the personal information of internet users they were able to find online, to commit other crimes such as home invasions, assaults, rapes, and murders. Criminals like to use the easiest route possible to obtaining internet users personal information and they often target passwords in their attempts to get such information.

It is important to protect your passwords to help prevent thieves from gaining access to your personal information. The following tips can help protect your passwords and the personal information you have chosen to store in online applications, and more importantly, to give you and your family added protection against the identity thieves and other criminals that lurk online in search of victims.

·        Never share your passwords online even with family and close friends in social networking sites, or through instant messaging and emails. Criminals use programs with tracking capabilities to locate and steal such information.

·        Do not store your password information in files on your computer. It is possible for thieves to install hidden programs on your computer, which can harvest information from stored files on your computer. A removable data storage device is safer. The very best protection is to store passwords and other personal information securely offline.

·        Never reply to, or click on links in emails asking for your passwords or other personal information. Your internet provider, banking institution, and companies you deal with already have this information and as a matter of policy never ask customers to provide this information through email messages.

·        Do not use your name, family name, pet’s names, birthdates etc in your passwords. Do use a combination of numbers and letters with at least a dozen characters to make it harder for thieves to figure out your passwords. Unique passwords are necessary. Using common words for your passwords can open them up to easy capture by thieves.

·        Do not use the same password for every online account that you have despite how easy to remember and use as a single password is.

·        Do change your passwords frequently for added security.

·        Never surf the internet or use online applications without having quality anti-virus and security software installed on your computer to help protect your passwords and personal information.

·        Make sure that you trust the company or institution of any website to which you submit your bank account numbers and other sensitive information. Make sure that these websites use secured encryption technology, and utilize other security measures to protect customer information.

Many of us use the internet and many online applications for shopping, banking, socializing, entertainment, and much more. Protecting our passwords and personal information makes it safer for us to use and enjoy all the good things that the World Wide Web offers.