To keep your sensitive information safe, your job is to create a password that i

Often, there is surely only one thing standing between your sensitive information and criminals, your password. If they get it, they can get into bank accounts and private files, and get your money. Your job is to create a password that is very hard to guess. Here’s how.
    Your first thought may be to use a pet’s name, a birth date, an address or part of a phone number. These things are too easy for criminals to discover. So don’t use them. Your password should not include information about you.
    Thankfully, there are ways to have memorable but hard-to-guess passwords. Consider this: in addition to single words, phrases can also be easy to remember. Maybe it’s a favorite song lyric or quote. An example is "Jack and Jill went up the hill". That’s easy to remember, right? Well, your password is there. It’s the first letter of each word. In this example, this will be your password. That’s not something that is easily guessed. Here is why.
    First, it’s not in the dictionary. This makes guessing it harder. There are about 60,000 words in English. A computer can test out those words pretty quickly, so don’t use them. But there’s more. This password could still be stronger by adding upper-case letters, numbers or special characters. So now this is a very strong password, but there is still a risk. If you write it down, be careful where you keep it. Be aware that somebody can look over your shoulder or find it in your trash. Giving it to loved-ones is also risky. They may not be as cautious as you are. Only you should know your password.
    Criminals may also try to fool you into handing it over via phone calls. Never tell anyone your password over the phone. And be careful when you get an e-mail that asks for a password. It could be a deception. To help avoid problems, don’t use the same password everywhere, that’s like having one key that unlocks everything you own. The stakes are high if you lose it. Also, be careful if you use a computer that is not yours. Always remember to log out of each site you visit on a computer that isn’t yours.
    Passwords are an essential part of life online, and if we’re not careful about keeping them secret, they can cause big problems. By understanding the risks, and making passwords stronger, we can feel a little more secure.