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Choosing a username and password can be very simple for those sites that pose no threat to your financial well-being (i.e. sites that do not ask for credit card or bank info). Use the same username and password. There is no reason to cook up James Bond passwords for a site anyone can "log" onto. Here's a simple idea: for a username, use the part of your eMail address in front of the @ sign. My eMail address is Mike@BigIdeasGroup.com so my username for non-threatening sites is Mike.

Select a password and use it all the time. I have a friend who uses "Password" as his password. A simple, easy to remember, repetitive, Ho-Hum username and password approach is ONLY for the run of the mill, everyday Internet sites.

When you go to a Ho-Hum site it will be very easy to remember your username and password. Before entering your Ho-Hum combination, ask yourself "what if someone cracked into this site with my password?" If the answer does not change your life, be Ho-Hum. A "Secure" site is a different matter.

In selecting a secure password, many people choose something that will be easy for to remember, birthday, dog's name, telephone number even credit card pin numbers. These passwords may be easy to remember and also the first line of attack for a dedicated hacker.

Collecting personal information about you is an easy trick and converting that information into sample passwords is the first thing that someone trying to break into your account will try. Password-guessing scripts and programs are easily available online and most will be able to provide access to your account if you are using a common word or pharse as your password.

Use a combination of letters, numbers, upper and lower case and possibly even characters if you want to really be secure. Obviously the longer your password is, the more difficult it will be for someone to crack.

Once you decide on your password, keep a separate list of all the sites where you enter that information. A list of sites, NOT a written record of your secure password. That word should be in your head and only in your head. Never write it anywhere. Period. Save your list on a floppy disk (not your hard drive) and label it something other than what it really is, but something that will trigger your memory. If sonmeone is shuffling through your computer disks and finds one marked "Passwords" you are sunk. If,instead, it says "Weight Loss Articles", who cares? Get the idea? Kepp the WORD in your head, keep the LIST on a floppy, called something else.

Calling it "Bankruptcy Articles" would help you to remember what could happen if a dedicated hacker could crack one or more of your accounts on the list. Caution, Calling it just "Bankruptcy" might trigger a curious investigation. Find a hapless name that will trigger youur memory as to what is really on the disk.

The floppy disk and secure list are to be your secret. No need to explain it to anyone. Just remember to add to it each time you enter your "secure" password on the Internet.

Once you have a list of where to go, you can visit those sites on a quarterly basis and CHANGE your secrue username and password. Frequent changes are a great defense. Security experts suggest you change your password quarterly. Leave the Ho-Hum sites alone, no threat there, only change your secure sites. But, remember how to remember your new password.

An easy way to develop a secure password is to use an algorithm with a familiar word or phrase. Then all you do is remember that word and the algorithm and you're that much more secure.

For example, You could choose "Password" as your familiar word and use the algorithm of "upper left key". That is, when you spell out "Password" on your keyboard, rather than keying in "Password", you key the character that is to the upper left of the letter in your familiar code word. Thus "Password", which is very easy to remember, becomes "0qww294e", which is a random type password and not easy to remember and is far more secure than the common word "Password".

One suggestion is to use the same password, but put the number of the quarter in which it is valid in that position of thre word. To illistrate we will use the password "Password" with an uppercase P. Whatever word or combination of letters you pick can use this system. "Password" used in first quarter would be "1Password", in second quarter (April May and June) it would be "P2assword". Using this method the 4th quarter would be "Pas4sword". If you decided to always make the letter after the quarter number UPPER case, 4th quarter would look like "Pas4Sword".

By remembering your secure word and the method you use to change it, you will always be able to remember your secure username and password.

Remember: always determine if the site is Ho- Hum or if it needs your secret agent coding device. Make all secure passwords at least seven characters long and use a mix of letters, numbers and upper and lower case.

Never, Never, Never Never give your "secure" password to anyone. Never give your "Ho-Hum" password to anyone, either. Never explain to anyone how you develop or remember your password

Passwords are for your protection, but you can't take them for granted. Develop an easy to remember system and change your word often.

For another article from BIG Mike, check out "I'm A Second Story Man" which asks the question, can you say who you are and what you do in two sentences or less? Send blank eMail MailTo:SecondStory@BigIdeasGroup.com

©2004 BIG Mike McDaniel, Professional Speaker and Former Major Market TV News Anchor. The BIG Ideas Group helps small business grow with mastermind groups, seminars and sales training. MailTo:Mike@BIGIdeasGroup.com http://BIGIdeasGroup.com

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