Don't Share Your Password (With Anyone)

March 2014 — Tip of the Month

Your password is often the single key someone needs to gain access to your confidential information. Many logins use your email address as the username, which means the password is only thing preventing other people from accessing your online accounts. If you're like most people, you use the same password for several different websites. Therefore, if someone finds out your password, they can quickly gain access to several of your personal accounts.

In today's society, where identity theft is as prevalent as ever, it is especially important to protect your login information. The best way to do this is to not share your password with anyone. Don't even hint at it with your friends and family members. While those close to you may not intentionally share your password with others, it can accidentally slip out in conversation. If you never talk about your password, it will be impossible for someone to overhear it.

If you are married, there may be some passwords that are important to share with your spouse. In this case, you should only share the necessary logins and make sure you both understand the importance of keeping each other's passwords confidential.

It's good to be open and honest in your relationships, but when it comes to computer security, the less people know about you, the better.

- Per Christensson