As identity thieves are getting smarter and smarter each day, especially with the perpetual onslaught of new developments in technology, it’s also more imperative for one to do all that he can to protect himself. People who are very well-versed when it comes to computers, gadgets, and technology would find different ways on how to protect their passwords for various online accounts.   But the regular Joe (or Jane?) shouldn’t despair. Here are some easy precautionary measure they can use to tighten their password security:

The most obvious thing to do is to create strong passwords. You can do this initially when you register for an account, or you can change existing ones. Strong passwords are ideally composed of 8 to 12 characters which are a combination of letters and numbers. You can also make it more difficult by blending upper and lower case letters.

To help you remember, make sure that it is meaningful to you yet something that no one else would find it easy to guess. Never use your birthday or anniverysary dates, your address and/or phone number, and most especially your social security number.

Always change your password every four months or so. This can be a useless task for some, but remember that your security here is at stake.Never write your password down. And never, ever share your password with anyone.

Delete temporary Internet files and cookies and install an anti-virus suite on your computer. Don’t forget to regularly update or upgrade the software to make sure that your computer is protected from new malware that fiends create all the time.