Secure your data

The need for security and peaceful online life are inextricably linked. You can't perform many useful tasks online without regurgitating the ubiquitous username and password combination. Despite all the talk about encryption, firewalls, data security and hack prevention, the most vulnerable point in any security system is the password, and most people are not aware of the best passwords to use to make their data and online identity as safe as possible.

If a criminal programmer (or cracker) wants to break in to a system, one of the first things they will do is to use dictionary software which logs in under a certain username and automatically tries every word and name in a number of given languages as the password. More sophisticated programs will also try things that people are known to use as passwords such as popular pet names, football teams and so on.

You can defuse the power of these cracking programs by following these simple steps when you create passwords:

• Base your password on a word that is incomprehensible to somebody else. Acronyms, abbreviations, misspellings etc will make it harder to guess. Fancy some pieyellah instead of paella?
  
  
• If possible, employ a combination of upper and lower case, lIkE ThIs. (Some websites don't differentiate, so bear this in mind.)
  
  
• Use numbers and symbols or punctuation in your password.
  
  
• Remember when choosing your password that the longer it is, the better.
  
  
• Try to use a different password everywhere. If you must use the same password, there are ways to alter it subtly for each different service that you use so that you remember what it is. For example, you might add in a digit at the end of your password which relates to the number of letters in the name of the company's website that you're logging in to.
  
  
• Keep your password in your head, not on paper. If you do need to, however, don't write it in a way that makes it easy for somebody to figure out which service it relates to, and store it in a place somebody is unlikely to think of - inside an old pair of shoes, for example.
  
  
• If you can, change your password regularly. This may not be practical, given the amount of websites and different service nowadays which require one, but consider changing your password on services where security is especially important - financial websites, for example.
  
  
• The securest passwords are randomly computer-generated ones. Granted, they are harder to remember, but if you figure out a safe way to store them, this is probably the best bet. A handy website which can churn them out for you is below. Simply tick the boxes for the different options you want, and hey presto; secure password.
  Winguides password generator

Keep an eye out for new systems which will replace usernames and passwords in future. One such system requires you to send in photos of 10 people you recognise. When you come to log in, the system presents you with one of your chosen photos, mixed in with lots of other random people. Thus, there is no password to remember, and it's much harder for thieves to crack. Genius!