Basic tips for computing

Use strong words
A "strong" password mixes numbers and letters, and not in alphabetical or numerical sequence ("abcd1234" is not strong). Mix the case and throw in punctuation marks. Use an entire phrase if space allows; longer is better. PassPub.com randomly generates strong passwords you can use.

Don't use weak words
Never use a word that you can find in the dictionary or that is a proper name. Pets, kids, and spouses make bad passwords. Don't use the date you changed passwords ("jan23"). By all that's digital, don't use "password" as your password.

Change it
Alter your passwords regularly to stay one step ahead of those who might want to use them.

Be inconsistent
Don't use the same password on every computer you use or every site you surf. All it takes is one site to become compromised, and then someone will have access to all your accounts.

Create a master password
For the memory challenged, create a single, strong password you can recall, then adjust it based on the name of the site or service. For MySpace, for example, "Blg1225" becomes "MyspBlg1225." Or let technology handle it: A number of Firefox add-ons will combine your master password with the name of a site to create a new password for each site.

Protect Firefox
The Firefox browser offers the option of a master password that you must enter before you can access any stored site passwords. It requires entering two passwords each time. The Mac OS comes with a feature called Keychain that holds passwords for Web sites, appli-cations, and more. You can find it in the Utilities folder.

Don't AutoComplete passwords
Browsers will not only store your passwords but also fill them in for you. This is a bad idea on a shared or office-based PC. In Firefox, use the master password instead. In IE, go to Internet Options, click the Content tab, and go to AutoComplete settings to disable.