Choosing passwords

There are several things you can do to protect your online accounts. Here are some tips on choosing a secure password.

  • Use some non-alphabetic characters such as punctuation marks or numbers.
  • Use a mixture of upper case and lower case letters.
  • Keep your password safe.
  • Do not write your passwords down.
  • Do not use your username as part of your password.
  • Do not use your name or any part of your name in a password.
  • Do not use obvious personal details, such as your favourite sports team, pet’s name etc.
  • Do not use your spouse or partner’s name.
  • Use at least eight characters.
  • Do not use keystroke patterns such as “12345” or “qwerty”
  • If you are given a password, change it as soon as you gain access.
  • Change your passwords on a regular basis.
  • Make sure you have logged off any computers you have been using.
  • Do not use the same password for every account.