Create Strong Passwords with Password Manager Software

If so, you are making yourself more vulnerable to hackers and identity thieves. Strong passwords are the first line of defense against onlie identity theft. Hey, I've been guilty of using the same easy-to-remember password for everything! Who has the time or patience to write down all of their accounts and different passwords? What a pain in the butt!

Another problem with typing your password into websites has nothing to do with how complicated your password is. Spyware and viruses have become a major problem for computer users. In fact, I would guess about 90% of the calls I get for computer service are virus and spyware related. One type of spware is keyloggers. If a keylogger gets installed on your pc, it monitors your keyboard activity for passwords and records them when you type them in. So it doesn't even matter how strong your password is. Scary stuff!

Yet another problem arises from phishing which is the illegal practice of posing as a trusted business or financial institution online in order to deceptively obtain sensitive personal data. You know the emails - 'The IRS has a refund for you' or 'Please verify your Bank of America account.' If you click on the link you are directed to a page that looks identical to the business' real page, but is in fact a fake. When the victim types in his or her confidential information on the page, the data is sent to the criminal and the scam is complete.

Okay, now that I've scared you into never going online again, is there anything you can do to truly protect your passwords?

The answer....

Password manager software does several things for you.

1. Manages passwords you already have and logs you into websites automatically. After you install the software, you can navigate to a website login page, enter your username a password and create a passcard that will allow you to login automatically next time.
   
2. Fill in Registration Forms and Checkout Forms Using Identities. You can create different identities and store your credit card or banking information securely. Then you can fill forms out with the click of a mouse.
   
3. Encrypt your password. All of your passwords are encrypted and kept safe by a master password which protects against hackers.
   
4. Fights Phishing. When you create a passcard, your passwords are stored in connection with the correct website. If you are redirected to a false website, you'll know about it.

Roboform: My Top Pick

Roboform is the password manager software I have used for a couple of years now and I really like it. I will till you up front that yes I do make a small commission recommending Roboform. However, when I recommend a product you can rest assured it is one I use myself and have tested - and if I ever find that it fails to meet my expectations or standards I will certainly say so.

There is a free version which allows you to create 10 passcards. This may be sufficient for light Internet users, but if you're like me you'll want the Pro version which allows you unlimited passcards and identities. It is a bargain for $29.95!

Roboform has saved me time and I feel more confident using online services because I know I'm taking steps to secure my information by creating strong passwords and thwarting keyloggers and hackers.

If you work online as much as I do, you will find that the Roboform's Logins feature alone will be a big timesaver. This is where the login information for your online accounts is saved and you can literally login to an account with the click of a button.

If you don't feel that password manager software is for you, I have included below an easy step-by-step guide to creating your own strong passwords.

If you are not using password manager software, use these steps to develop a strong password:

1. Think of a sentence that you can remember. This will be the basis of your strong password or pass phrase. Use a memorable sentence, such as "My son Aiden is three years old."

2. Check if the computer or online system supports the pass phrase directly. If you can use a pass phrase (with spaces between characters) on your computer or online system, do so.

3. If the computer or online system does not support pass phrases, convert it to a password. Take the first letter of each word of the sentence that you've created to create a new, nonsensical word. Using the example above, you'd get: "msaityo".

4. Add complexity by mixing uppercase and lowercase letters and numbers. It is valuable to use some letter swapping or misspellings as well. For instance, in the pass phrase above, consider misspelling Aiden's name, or substituting the word "three" for the number 3. There are many possible substitutions, and the longer the sentence, the more complex your password can be. Your pass phrase might become "My SoN Ayd3N is 3 yeeRs old." If the computer or online system will not support a pass phrase, use the same technique on the shorter password. This might yield a password like "MsAy3yo".

5. Finally, substitute some special characters. You can use symbols that look like letters, combine words (remove spaces) and other ways to make the password more complex. Using these tricks, we create a pass phrase of "MySoN 8N i$ 3 yeeR$ old" or a password (using the first letter of each word) "M$8ni3y0".

6. Test your new password with Password Checker. Password Checker is a non-recording feature on this Web site that helps determine your password's strength as you type. http://www.microsoft.com/protect/yourself/password/checker.mspx