Strong passwords help with data security

Passwords are often the key to protecting access to personal information and data stored on computers or e – mailed. Because most taxpayers file their returns electronically and have access to account information online, it is essential that taxpayers not only create strong passwords for all accounts related to taxes, but they do everything in their power to protect those passwords.

Here are seven things that taxpayers should consider when creating and protecting passwords:

• Longer passwords are more secure and harder to guess. A strong password must have a minimum of eight characters. It should include a combination of letters, numbers, symbols and special characters.
• A password must contain at least one uppercase letter, a lowercase letter, a number and a symbol or character.
• Taxpayers should not include personal information in your passwords. A criminal can find names of siblings, friends, children and pets in social networks. This enables cybercriminals discover the password of a person who includes these names.
• Avoid using the same password for all information systems, accounts and devices. If someone guesses a password, you will have access to all other accounts.
• Taxpayers can replace numbers and symbols for letters in words or phrases to make it more difficult for a thief to guess a password.
• People should never share passwords.
• Taxpayers should be wary of attempts to trick you into revealing your password.

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