When creating accounts on the internet or setting up a computer or smart device, you'll be prompted to create a password. While remembering a password can be inconvenient, it’s an essential part of your account's security system, helping keep out intruders and prevent unauthorized activity. Here's what you need to know to create an effective password that you can still remember.

How to Create a Strong Password

1. Don't Use a Standard Password

The most common passwords on the internet include numbers in sequence like “123456,” a string of 1s, or the word "password." Other common choices include birthdays and pet names. To keep your account secure, avoid these easily guessed options. Try to avoid using names or dictionary words at all.

2. Don't Use the Same Password

For each site you visit on the internet, you should use a distinct password that is not used elsewhere. If it's difficult to remember completely different passwords, you might use variations on a theme. The more similar or related passwords are, the easier it is for someone who knows one to guess them all.

3. Make It Long

The longer your password is, the more difficult it is to crack. This is important because a computer program can try hundreds of thousands of passwords in a second. Use both upper and lower case letters, as well as numbers and symbols, to increase the complexity, and try to make it at least eight characters long.

4. Easy to Remember, Hard to Guess

To create a password that is easy to remember but difficult to guess, create a key phrase, such as, "My dog Spot likes eating vegetables for dinner." Then, take the first letter of each word to get “MdSlevfd.” Replace some of the letters with numbers or symbols—such as “MdS!3vfd.” This is a password that contains a variety of characters with no identifiable words, making it almost impossible to guess but easy to remember thanks to the key phrase.

5. Keep It Secret

Once you have a secure password, don't share it or write it down anywhere, including the key phrase. Even if you think the location is secret and secure, it is too easy for someone else to come across the password and get access to your device or account.

For more security help from an internet service provider, visit Horizon. Based in Chillicothe, OH, they have over 120 years of history providing Ross County residents with phone, cable, internet, and security services that are used by both home and business owners. Call (740) 772-8200 today to set up the internet in your home or office, or visit them online to learn more about their services.