Keep Tax Data Safe: 7 Tips for Creating Strong Passwords

​Passwords are often the key to protecting access to private information and data stored on computers or sent over email. Because most taxpayers file their returns electronically and access account information online, it is essential for taxpayers to not only use strong passwords for all tax-related accounts, but to do everything they can to protect those passwords.

​7 Tips for Creating Strong Passwords

Here are seven tips you should consider when creating and protecting passwords:

1. Longer passwords are safer and harder to guess. A strong password should be a minimum of eight characters. It should include a combination of letters, numbers, symbols, and special characters.
2. A password should have at least one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, one number, and one symbol or character. 
3. Do not include personal information in passwords. A criminal can find names of siblings, friends, children, and pets on social media sites. This makes it easier for cybercriminals to figure out a person’s password that includes these names. 
4. Avoid using the same password for all information systems, accounts, and devices. That way, if someone does guess one password, they will not have access to all the other accounts. 
5. You can substitute numbers and symbols for letters in words or phrases to make it more difficult for a thief to guess a password. 
6. People should never share passwords. 
7. Be vigilant of attempts to trick you into divulging your password.