Password Best Practices

Create longer passwords

Password length matters more than how hard it is to remember. Try a combination of random but common words (such as “count painting carpet sweatshirt”¹) or a passphrase (such as “The pink chair said hello to the bird”¹) can be easier for you as an individual to remember but take a long time for a fraudster using a computer program to guess.

Use different passwords for different online profiles

Fraudsters attempt to use stolen passwords on different websites because they are assuming that you’ve reused passwords. By using different passwords, you can limit the damage. This is especially true for banking. Never use the same password for your online banking login that you use on other websites.

Don't store your passwords in an unsecure location

Keeping passwords in unsecure locations, such as written in a notebook you carry, on a sticky note near your computer, or saved in an unsecured file on your computer, can quickly lead to password theft. Try to create a system for generating passwords that are easy to remember, while still differentiating between passwords and maintaining length. If you have too many passwords to remember, consider using a password manager.

Keep your passwords to yourself

Don't share your passwords with anyone, including friends and family. Instead, create separate login credentials for everyone, especially online banking.