CINXE.COM

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"> <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="en"> <head profile="http://gmpg.org/xfn/11"><script type="text/javascript" src="/_static/js/bundle-playback.js?v=HxkREWBo" charset="utf-8"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/_static/js/wombat.js?v=txqj7nKC" charset="utf-8"></script> <script>window.RufflePlayer=window.RufflePlayer||{};window.RufflePlayer.config={"autoplay":"on","unmuteOverlay":"hidden"};</script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/_static/js/ruffle/ruffle.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> __wm.init("https://web.archive.org/web"); __wm.wombat("http://en.support.wordpress.com/selecting-a-strong-password/","20130115223350","https://web.archive.org/","web","/_static/", "1358289230"); </script> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/_static/css/banner-styles.css?v=S1zqJCYt" /> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/_static/css/iconochive.css?v=3PDvdIFv" />  <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"/> <meta name="HandheldFriendly" content="True"> <meta name="description" content="Start a WordPress blog or create a free website in minutes. Choose from over 200 free, customizable themes. Free support from awesome humans."> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/web/20130115223350cs_/http://en.support.wordpress.com/home.logged-out/css/header.css?20121214" type="text/css"> <link href="//web.archive.org/web/20130115223350cs_/http://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Open+Sans:300italic,400italic,600italic,400,300,600" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"> <title>Selecting a Strong Password — Support — WordPress.com</title> <link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="WordPress.com News" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.blog.wordpress.com/feed/"/> <meta xmlns:fb="http://www.facebook.com/2008/fbml" property="fb:page_id" content="134098913979"/> <meta xmlns:fb="http://www.facebook.com/2008/fbml" property="fb:app_id" content="249643311490"/> <meta name="msapplication-TileImage" content="/wp-content/themes/h4/tabs/images/wpcom-logo-144.png"/> <meta name="msapplication-TileColor" content="#0074a2"/> <meta name="application-name" content="WordPress.com"/> <meta name="msApplication-PackageFamilyName" content="AutomatticInc.WordPress.com_9ejavqh8rasr8"/> <meta name="msApplication-ID" content="App"/> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350cs_/http://s2.wp.com/wp-content/themes/h4/style.css?m=1354559022g&7" media="screen"/>   <link rel="search" type="application/opensearchdescription+xml" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.search.wordpress.com/opensearch.xml" title="WordPress.com"/> <meta name="google-site-verification" content="dXjTHTo0LkH4JzI9MJEswvSj03e66EtFK-Ts_qPWYQc"/> <meta name="msvalidate.01" content="652E6208A4A87D84017CEA33EBE69C35"/> <script type="text/javascript"> /* <![CDATA[ */ function addLoadEvent(func){var oldonload=window.onload;if(typeof window.onload!='function'){window.onload=func;}else{window.onload=function(){oldonload();func();}}} /* ]]> */ </script> <link rel="stylesheet" id="screen-css-0" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350cs_/http://s2.wp.com/wp-content/themes/a8c/wpsupport2/style.css?m=1357804742g" type="text/css" media="screen"/> <link rel="stylesheet" id="all-css-0" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350cs_/http://s0.wp.com/_static/??-eJyFyzsOgCAQANELiRsC2hnPggQBs3zCLjHe3lhYWVhN8wbOKmzJ7DJD6qJi9zET1EIsdjSxAfGFbrREA/zbYFrM/u3n4uCSIwgaPJbN4APWtEg1zUpLrdRxA2XPNGI=" type="text/css" media="all"/> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350js_/http://s2.wp.com/wp-includes/js/jquery/jquery.js?m=1354137473g"></script> <link rel="EditURI" type="application/rsd+xml" title="RSD" href="http://en.support.wordpress.com/xmlrpc.php?rsd"/> <link rel="wlwmanifest" type="application/wlwmanifest+xml" href="http://en.support.wordpress.com/wp-includes/wlwmanifest.xml"/> <link rel="prev" title="Customizer" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/customizer/"/> <link rel="next" title="New Post Screen" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/posts/new-post-screen/"/> <meta name="generator" content="WordPress.com"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/selecting-a-strong-password/"/> <link rel="shortlink" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://wp.me/PEmnE-9co"/> <link rel="alternate" type="application/json+oembed" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://public-api.wordpress.com/oembed/1.0/?format=json&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.support.wordpress.com%2Fselecting-a-strong-password%2F&for=wpcom-auto-discovery"/><link rel="alternate" type="application/xml+oembed" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://public-api.wordpress.com/oembed/1.0/?format=xml&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.support.wordpress.com%2Fselecting-a-strong-password%2F&for=wpcom-auto-discovery"/>  <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="Selecting a Strong Password"/> <meta property="og:url" content="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/selecting-a-strong-password/"/> <meta property="og:description" content="The weakest point in any security for your online accounts is usually your password. At WordPress.com, we go to great lengths to make sure your content is secure, protected, and can’t be acce..."/> <meta property="og:site_name" content="Support"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350im_/http://1.gravatar.com/blavatar/94ea57385f5018d2b84169cab22d3b33?s=200"/> <meta name="twitter:site" content="@wordpressdotcom"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary"/> <meta property="fb:app_id" content="249643311490"/> <link rel="shortcut icon" type="image/x-icon" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350im_/http://1.gravatar.com/blavatar/760f5783d6d0563df87528eb93310d23?s=16" sizes="16x16"/> <link rel="icon" type="image/x-icon" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350im_/http://1.gravatar.com/blavatar/760f5783d6d0563df87528eb93310d23?s=16" sizes="16x16"/> <link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350im_/http://1.gravatar.com/blavatar/94ea57385f5018d2b84169cab22d3b33?s=114"/> <link rel="openid.server" href="http://en.support.wordpress.com/?openidserver=1"/> <link rel="openid.delegate" href="http://en.support.wordpress.com/"/> <link rel="search" type="application/opensearchdescription+xml" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/osd.xml" title="Support"/> <link rel="search" type="application/opensearchdescription+xml" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://wordpress.com/opensearch.xml" title="WordPress.com"/> <style> /* <![CDATA[ */ /* Block: reblog */ .reblog-from img { margin: 0 10px 0 0; vertical-align: middle; padding: 0; border: 0; } .reblogger-note img.avatar { float: left; padding: 0; border: 0; } .reblogger-note-content { margin: 0 0 20px; } .reblog-post .wpcom-enhanced-excerpt-content { border-left: 3px solid #eee; padding-left: 15px; } .reblog-post ul.thumb-list { display: block; list-style: none; margin: 2px 0; padding: 0; clear: both; } .reblog-post ul.thumb-list li { display: inline; margin: 0; padding: 0 1px; border: 0; } .reblog-post ul.thumb-list li a { margin: 0; padding: 0; border: 0; } .reblog-post ul.thumb-list li img { margin: 0; padding: 0; border: 0; } .reblog-post .wpcom-enhanced-excerpt { clear: both; } .reblog-post .wpcom-enhanced-excerpt address, .reblog-post .wpcom-enhanced-excerpt li, .reblog-post .wpcom-enhanced-excerpt h1, .reblog-post .wpcom-enhanced-excerpt h2, .reblog-post .wpcom-enhanced-excerpt h3, .reblog-post .wpcom-enhanced-excerpt h4, .reblog-post .wpcom-enhanced-excerpt h5, .reblog-post .wpcom-enhanced-excerpt h6, .reblog-post .wpcom-enhanced-excerpt p { font-size: 100% !important; } .reblog-post .wpcom-enhanced-excerpt blockquote, .reblog-post .wpcom-enhanced-excerpt pre, .reblog-post .wpcom-enhanced-excerpt code, .reblog-post .wpcom-enhanced-excerpt q { font-size: 98% !important; } /* ]]> */ </style> <meta name="application-name" content="Support"/><meta name="msapplication-window" content="width=device-width;height=device-height"/><meta name="msapplication-tooltip" content="WordPress.com Support"/><meta name="msapplication-task" content="name=Subscribe;action-uri=http://en.support.wordpress.com/feed/;icon-uri=http://1.gravatar.com/blavatar/760f5783d6d0563df87528eb93310d23?s=16"/><meta name="msapplication-task" content="name=Sign up for a free blog;action-uri=http://wordpress.com/signup/;icon-uri=http://s2.wp.com/i/favicon.ico"/><meta name="msapplication-task" content="name=WordPress.com Support;action-uri=http://support.wordpress.com/;icon-uri=http://s2.wp.com/i/favicon.ico"/><meta name="msapplication-task" content="name=WordPress.com Forums;action-uri=http://forums.wordpress.com/;icon-uri=http://s2.wp.com/i/favicon.ico"/><meta name="title" content="Selecting a Strong Password | Support on WordPress.com"/> <meta name="description" content="The weakest point in any security for your online accounts is usually your password. At WordPress.com, we go to great lengths to make sure your content is secure, protected, and can’t be accessed by anyone other than you. But if one person is able to guess or retrieve your password, they bypass every security measure…"/> <link rel="stylesheet" id="custom-css-css" type="text/css" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350cs_/http://s0.wp.com/?custom-css=1&csblog=EmnE&cscache=6&csrev=32"/>  <script type="text/javascript"> var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-10673494-1']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/https://ssl' : 'https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; (document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0] || document.getElementsByTagName('body')[0]).appendChild(ga); })(); </script> <script type="text/javascript">  </script> <link rel="fluid-icon" href="http://wordpress.com/wp-content/themes/h4/i/fluidicon.png?m=1326346415g" title="WordPress.com"/> </head> <body class="tier"> <script type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8"> var WPCOMDoLoginForm = function() { jQuery( '.login-form' ).each( function() { var lForm = this; // init fields if(jQuery('.user-login-input', lForm).val() !== '') jQuery('.userlogin-label span', lForm).hide(); if(jQuery('.user-pass-input', lForm).val() != '') jQuery('.password-label span', lForm).hide(); // on focus jQuery('.userlogin-label input', lForm).focus(function() { jQuery('.userlogin-label span', lForm).fadeTo(100, 0.5); if(jQuery('.user-login-input', lForm).val() !== '') jQuery('.userlogin-label span', lForm).hide(); if(jQuery('.user-pass-input', lForm).val() != '') jQuery('.password-label span', lForm).hide(); }); jQuery('.password-label input', lForm).focus(function() { jQuery('.password-label span', lForm).fadeTo(100, 0.5); if(jQuery('.user-pass-input', lForm).val() !== '') jQuery('.password-label span', lForm).hide(); }); //on keydown jQuery('.userlogin-label input', lForm).keydown(function() { if(jQuery('.userlogin-label span', lForm).is(':visible') ) jQuery('.userlogin-label span', lForm).hide(); }); jQuery('.password-label input', lForm).keydown(function() { if(jQuery('.password-label span', lForm).is(':visible') ) jQuery('.password-label span', lForm).hide(); }); //on click jQuery('.password-label', lForm).click(function() { jQuery('.user-pass-input', lForm).trigger('focus'); jQuery('.password-label span', lForm).hide(); }); jQuery('.userlogin-label', lForm).click(function() { jQuery('.user-login-input', lForm).trigger('focus'); jQuery('.userlogin-label span', lForm).hide(); }); //on blur jQuery('.user-login-input', lForm).blur(function() { if( jQuery('.user-login-input', lForm).val() == '') { jQuery('.userlogin-label span', lForm).show(); jQuery('.userlogin-label span', lForm).fadeTo(100, 1); } if(jQuery('.user-login-input', lForm).val() !== '') jQuery('.userlogin-label span', lForm).hide(); }); jQuery('.user-pass-input', lForm).blur(function() { if( jQuery('.user-pass-input', lForm).val() == '') { jQuery('.password-label span', lForm).show(); jQuery('.password-label span', lForm).fadeTo(100, 1); } if(jQuery('.user-pass-input', lForm).val() !== '') jQuery('.password-label span', lForm).hide(); }); }); }; jQuery(document).ready(function(){ if ( ! ( 'placeholder' in document.createElement( 'input' ) ) ) { if(jQuery('.user-login-input').attr('placeholder')) jQuery('.user-login-input').before("<span>" + jQuery('.user-login-input').attr('placeholder') + "</span>"); if(jQuery('.user-pass-input').attr('placeholder')) jQuery('.user-pass-input').before("<span>" + jQuery('.user-pass-input').attr('placeholder') + "</span>"); var loginInputs = jQuery('.user-login-input, .user-pass-input').bind( 'change.wpcomdologin', function() { WPCOMDoLoginForm(); } ); setTimeout( function() { loginInputs.unbind( '.wpcomdologin' ); WPCOMDoLoginForm(); }, 200 ); } // Fix internal links with fixed header. if ( location.hash ) { setTimeout( function() { jQuery('body').scrollTop( jQuery(location.hash).offset().top - 75 ); }, 1000 ); } } ); </script>  <header class="wpcom-header" role="banner"> <div> <h1 class="wpcom-title"><a class="wpcom-logo" href="//web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://wordpress.com/"><span>WordPress.com</span></a></h1> <nav id="main-nav" class="header-nav" role="navigation"> <h3><span class="menu-toggle">Menu</span></h3> <ul class="nav-menu sub-menu"> <li class="menu-login"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.wordpress.com/wp-login.php?redirect_to=http%3A%2F%2Fwordpress.com%2F" title="Log In">Log In</a></li> <li class="menu-themes"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://wordpress.com/themes/" title="WordPress Themes for Blogs at WordPress.com">Themes</a></li> <li class="menu-support"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://support.wordpress.com/" title="Support">Support</a></li> <li class="menu-news"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://blog.wordpress.com/" title="News">News</a></li> <li class="menu-features"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://wordpress.com/features/" title="Features">Features</a></li> <li class="menu-signup"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://signup.wordpress.com/signup/" title="Sign Up">Sign Up</a></li> </ul> </nav> </div> </header> <div id="wrapper" class="en-wrapper"> <div class="pagebody"> <div class="title-container"> <div class="sleeve"> <h2 class="sitetitle"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/">Support</a></h2> <div id="supportsearch"> <form id="supportsearchform" name="searchform" method="get" action="/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/?s="> <input type="text" id="supports" name="s" value="Not seeing what you’re looking for? Search here."/> <input type="submit" id="supportsubmit" value="Search"/> </form> </div> </div> </div> <div id="content"> <h3 class="thecategory"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/category/policies-safety/" title="View all posts in Policies & Safety" rel="category tag">Policies & Safety</a></h3> <div class="post" id="post-35364"> <h2>Selecting a Strong Password</h2> <p id="postmetadata"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/tag/accounts/" rel="tag">accounts</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/tag/password/" rel="tag">Password</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/tag/safety/" rel="tag">safety</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/tag/security/" rel="tag">Security</a></p> <div class="entrytext"> <div id="toc"><h3>Contents</h3><ul id="toc-contents"><li><a href="#what-not-to-do-when-selecting-a-password">What NOT to Do When Selecting a Password</a></li><li><a href="#basic-steps-to-selecting-a-strong-password">Basic Steps to Selecting a Strong Password</a></li><li><a href="#advanced-steps-to-selecting-a-strong-password">Advanced Steps to Selecting a Strong Password</a></li><li><a href="#additional-tips">Additional Tips</a></li></ul><h3>Related</h3><ul><li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/account-recovery/" title="Account Recovery">Account Recovery</a></li><li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/advertising/" title="Advertising">Advertising</a></li><li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/affiliate-links/" title="Affiliate Links">Affiliate Links</a></li><li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/content-theft-what-to-do/" title="Content Theft – What to Do">Content Theft – What to Do</a></li><li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/creative-commons/" title="Creative Commons">Creative Commons</a></li><li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/defamation/" title="Defamation">Defamation</a></li><li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/ip-addresses/" title="IP Addresses">IP Addresses</a></li><li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/mature-content/" title="Mature Content">Mature Content</a></li><li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/prevent-content-theft/" title="Prevent Content Theft">Prevent Content Theft</a></li><li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/private-information/" title="Private Information">Private Information</a></li><li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/private-user-data/" title="Private User Data">Private User Data</a></li><li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/recycling-blog-names/" title="Recycling Blog Addresses (URLs)">Recycling Blog Addresses (URLs)</a></li><li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/report-blogs/" title="Report Mature or Spam Blogs">Report Mature or Spam Blogs</a></li><li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/self-harm-and-online-safety/" title="Self-Harm and Online Safety">Self-Harm and Online Safety</a></li><li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/suspended-blogs/" title="Suspended Blogs">Suspended Blogs</a></li></ul></div><p>The weakest point in any security for your online accounts is usually your password. At WordPress.com, we go to great lengths to make sure your content is secure, protected, and can’t be accessed by anyone other than you.</p> <p>But if one person is able to guess or retrieve your password, they bypass every security measure we have because WordPress.com will see them as you. This person could then delete or deface your site, or post whatever they wanted—and your readers would see this content as coming from you.</p> <p>Think about what you are entering as your password. Does it contain any information people could easily guess? Does it contain a name or number that have strong connections to you? The name of a pet, family member, or favorite sports team? The date of an anniversary or birthday? It’s pretty likely that someone who knows you well enough or can find this information about you—even in your own blog posts—could then guess your password.</p> <p>This guide will help you create good, strong passwords that are hard to guess or break. Read through the following tips and check your own password. If you feel your password isn’t secure enough, you should change it as soon as you can. (For more help, visit our page on <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/passwords/#change-your-password">how to change your password</a>.)</p> <h4 class="section-title" id="what-not-to-do-when-selecting-a-password">What NOT to Do When Selecting a Password</h4> <p>There are some simple rules you should keep in mind when you select a password. Following these rules are the first step in selecting a good password.</p> <ul> <li><strong>Don’t use single words or numbers.</strong> Avoid using anything found in a dictionary or simple numbers like a birthdate or a phone number. Even if the word is in a different language, it can be easy to guess or brute force.</li> <li><strong>Don’t use any personal information.</strong> Even when combined with letters and numbers, someone who knows you or can research you online can guess a password with this information easily.</li> <li><strong>Don’t just substitute look-alike numbers for letters in a word.</strong> (Don’t use “leet” speak.) For example, don’t just change “Steve” to “St3v3″.</li> <li><strong>Don’t invert words.</strong> It’s not hard just to reverse a word and find a password. For instance, don’t change “password” to “drowssap”.</li> <li><strong>Don’t write down your password.</strong> If it’s written down somewhere and someone can find it, it’s not secure.</li> <li><strong>Don’t use the same password for every website you visit.</strong> If you use the same password everywhere, a single guess or defeat of the password can expose your information everywhere. By taking the time to separate your passwords, you can limit any damage caused by a break-in.</li> </ul> <p class="toc-jump"><a href="#toc">↑ Table of Contents ↑</a></p><h4 class="section-title" id="basic-steps-to-selecting-a-strong-password">Basic Steps to Selecting a Strong Password</h4> <p>If you find selecting a strong password daunting, try using one or two of these tips to start with. Just using some of these guidelines can add a significant amount of strength to your passwords.</p> <ul> <li><strong>Make the password at least eight characters long.</strong> A longer password means it’s harder for someone to guess. 12 or 16 characters is even better.</li> <li><strong>Use a mix of upper and lower-case letters.</strong> Passwords are case-sensitive, so alternate your caps occasionally throughout the password to increase its strength.</li> <li><strong>Throw in some numbers—especially in the middle.</strong> Numbers at the beginning or end of a password are easier to guess or crack than those stuck right in the middle.</li> </ul> <p class="toc-jump"><a href="#toc">↑ Table of Contents ↑</a></p><h4 class="section-title" id="advanced-steps-to-selecting-a-strong-password">Advanced Steps to Selecting a Strong Password</h4> <p>To make your passwords really secure, try some of these advanced tips. They can make your passwords harder to remember, but will greatly increase the security of your accounts.</p> <ul> <li><strong>Throw in some symbols, punctuation, or spaces.</strong> You can use symbols like &, $, and % to greatly increase the strength of your password. Using spaces is also a great way to do this—and it can be easier to remember.</li> <li><strong>Use a passphrase.</strong> Since you can use spaces in your password, consider making your password a full phrase rather than a word or two. “I have a passphrase” would be a valid password.</li> </ul> <p class="toc-jump"><a href="#toc">↑ Table of Contents ↑</a></p><h4 class="section-title" id="additional-tips">Additional Tips</h4> <p>Beyond your account at WordPress.com, there are other things to remember as you compose passwords that will help you keep your information secure.</p> <ul> <li><strong>Don’t use the same password twice.</strong> If your passwords are different from site to site, guessing one will not provide someone with access to everything you do. At the very least, try not to use the same password everywhere.</li> <li><strong>Use a password manager or generator.</strong> There are lots of free or low-cost options for password management. Two good examples are the open source application <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://keepass.info/">KeePass</a> or a password generator <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://simplestrongpasswordgenerator.com/">like this one</a>.</li> <li><strong>Make your email password the most secure of all.</strong> With many online services like WordPress.com, your email address serves as your identification. If a malicious user gains access to your email, it’s not hard to then reset many of your other passwords and gain access to much more.</li> <li><strong>Consider changing your passwords regularly.</strong> The more often you change it to another strong password, the harder it will be for someone to guess or break it.</li> <li><strong>Don’t share your passwords.</strong> Even if you share your password with only one person, there is no telling who else might then gain access to it. If you suspect that someone else knows your password, you should change it immediately.</li> <li><strong>Don’t send your password to anyone in an email.</strong> WordPress.com staff will never ask you for your password.</li> <li><strong>Don’t save your passwords or use “Remember Me” options when using a computer that’s not yours.</strong> And make sure you log out or close your browser when you are done.</li> </ul> <div id="jp-post-flair" class="sharedaddy sd-rating-enabled sd-sharing-enabled"><div class="sd-block sd-rating"><h3 class="sd-title">Rate this:</h3><div class="pd-rating" id="pd_rating_holder_491870_page_35364"></div></div><div class="sharedaddy sd-sharing-enabled"><div class="robots-nocontent sd-block sd-social sd-social-icon sd-sharing"><h3 class="sd-title">Share this:</h3><div class="sd-content"><ul><li class="share-email"><a rel="nofollow" class="share-email sd-button share-icon no-text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/selecting-a-strong-password/?share=email" target="_blank" title="Click to email this to a friend"><span></span></a></li><li class="share-twitter"><a rel="nofollow" class="share-twitter sd-button share-icon no-text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/selecting-a-strong-password/?share=twitter" target="_blank" title="Click to share on Twitter" id="sharing-twitter-35364"><span></span></a></li><li class="share-facebook"><a rel="nofollow" class="share-facebook sd-button share-icon no-text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/selecting-a-strong-password/?share=facebook" target="_blank" title="Share on Facebook" id="sharing-facebook-35364"><span></span></a></li><li class="share-print"><a rel="nofollow" class="share-print sd-button share-icon no-text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/selecting-a-strong-password/#print" target="_blank" title="Click to print"><span></span></a></li><li><a href="#" class="sharing-anchor sd-button share-more"><span>More</span></a></li><li class="share-end"></li></ul><div class="sharing-hidden"><div class="inner" style="display: none;"><ul><li class="share-stumbleupon"><a rel="nofollow" class="share-stumbleupon sd-button share-icon no-text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/selecting-a-strong-password/?share=stumbleupon" target="_blank" title="Click to share on StumbleUpon"><span></span></a></li><li class="share-reddit"><a rel="nofollow" class="share-reddit sd-button share-icon no-text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/selecting-a-strong-password/?share=reddit" target="_blank" title="Click to share on Reddit"><span></span></a></li><li class="share-end"></li><li class="share-digg"><a rel="nofollow" class="share-digg sd-button share-icon no-text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/selecting-a-strong-password/?share=digg" target="_blank" title="Click to Digg this post"><span></span></a></li><li class="share-google-plus-1"><a rel="nofollow" class="share-google-plus-1 sd-button share-icon no-text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/selecting-a-strong-password/?share=google-plus-1" target="_blank" title="Click to share on Google+" id="sharing-google-35364"><span></span></a></li><li class="share-end"></li><li class="share-end"></li></ul></div></div><div class="sharing-clear"></div></div></div></div></div><p class="last-modified">Last modified: August 30, 2012</p> </div>  <script type="text/javascript"> /* <![CDATA[ */ jQuery( '#respond' ).hide(); jQuery( "#PDRTJS_491870_page_35364_nero_2" ).live( "click", function() { jQuery( '#respond' ).show(); }) /* ]]> */ </script> </div>  </div> <div class="sidebar quarter"> <div class="sleeve"> <ul> <li class="first"> <h4><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/">Support Home</a></h4> </li> <li class="categories"><h4>Topics</h4><ul><li class="cat-item cat-item-22484"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/category/appearance/">Appearance</a></li><li class="cat-item cat-item-992"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/category/comments/">Comments</a></li><li class="cat-item cat-item-45809"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/category/configuration/">Configuration</a></li><li class="cat-item cat-item-122613835"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/category/dispute-resolution-reporting/">Dispute Resolution & Reporting</a></li><li class="cat-item cat-item-43382"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/category/following/">Following</a></li><li class="cat-item cat-item-54"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/category/general/">General</a></li><li class="cat-item cat-item-34940723"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/category/homepage-2/">Homepage</a></li><li class="cat-item cat-item-2761"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/category/languages/">Languages</a></li><li class="cat-item cat-item-2200"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/category/links/">Links</a></li><li class="cat-item cat-item-292"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/category/media/">Media</a></li><li class="cat-item cat-item-93310640"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/category/policies-safety/">Policies & Safety</a></li><li class="cat-item cat-item-6250875"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/category/shortcodes/">Shortcodes</a></li><li class="cat-item cat-item-391741"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/category/social-tools/">Social Tools</a></li><li class="cat-item cat-item-1981"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/category/tools/">Tools</a></li><li class="cat-item cat-item-3967"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/category/traffic/">Traffic</a></li><li class="cat-item cat-item-40445"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/category/upgrades/">Upgrades</a></li><li class="cat-item cat-item-70411"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/category/users/">Users</a></li><li class="cat-item cat-item-14851030"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/category/widgets-sidebars/">Widgets & Sidebars</a></li><li class="cat-item cat-item-200912"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/category/writing-editing/">Writing & Editing</a></li></ul></li><li><h4><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/contact/">Contact Support</a></h4></li><li class="ahug"><h4><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/hugs/">Hugs</a></h4></li> <li class="recentlyupdated last"><h4>Recently Updated</h4><ul class="list"><li class="page_item page-item-10407"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/themes/post-formats/">Post Formats</a></li> <li class="page_item page-item-5259"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/featured-images/">Featured Images</a></li> <li class="page_item page-item-2235"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/themes/custom-header-image/">Custom Header Image</a></li> <li class="page_item page-item-42920"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/upcoming-events/">Upcoming Events</a></li> <li class="page_item page-item-5022"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/webmaster-tools/">Webmaster Tools</a></li> <li class="page_item page-item-94"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/audio/">Audio</a></li> <li class="page_item page-item-49347"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/domains/add-email/add-other-email/">Add Email through other providers</a></li> <li class="page_item page-item-2910"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/post-by-email/">Post by Email</a></li> <li class="page_item page-item-34087"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/domains/add-email/">Add Email</a></li> <li class="page_item page-item-50985"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/domains/add-email/add-email-through-zoho-mail/">Add Email through Zoho Mail</a></li> </ul></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> <div class="footerwrap">  <div id="footer"> <div> <div class="c0"> <h4>Get Started</h4> <a class="button-primary" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://wordpress.com/signup/">Create your own website</a> <p class="automattic"> <span>An </span><a class="automattic-logo" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://automattic.com/">Automattic</a><span> Ruckus</span> </p> </div> <div class="c1"> <h4>Do More</h4> <ul> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.wordpress.com/features/" title="A sampling of the many features WordPress.com offers" hreflang="en">Features</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://store.wordpress.com/" title="Value-added upgrades available a la carte" hreflang="en">Store</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://wordpress.com/themes/" title="WordPress Themes for Blogs at WordPress.com">Themes</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://develop.wordpress.com/" title="Build apps for WordPress.com">Developers</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="c2"> <h4>Community</h4> <ul> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.support.wordpress.com/" title="We’re here for you">Support</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.forums.wordpress.com/" title="Communicate with your fellow WordPress.com bloggers">Forums</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://central.wordcamp.org/" title="Community-organized events that focus on everything WordPress">WordCamps</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://wordpress.com/?ref=footer" rel="generator">Blog at WordPress.com</a>.</li> </ul> </div> <div class="c3"> <h4>Company <span style="display:none;"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://www.facebook.com/WordPresscom">F</a> • <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://twitter.com/wordpressdotcom">T</a></span></h4> <ul> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.wordpress.com/about/" title="A short introduction to your hosts" hreflang="en">Our Story</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://automattic.com/privacy/" title="We are profoundly disinterested in your private details">Privacy</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.wordpress.com/tos/" title="Some legalese">Terms of Service</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://ma.tt/" title="Founder of Automattic, example of what WordPress can do" hreflang="en">Matt Mullenweg</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="c4"> <h4>From our blogs</h4> <ul><li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2013/01/15/lessons-from-the-daily-post/">Lessons from The Daily Post bloggers</a></li><li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.blog.wordpress.com/2013/01/15/post-formats/">Enhance Your Site with Post Formats</a></li><li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2013/01/15/daily-prompt-polite-company/">Daily Prompt: Polite Company</a></li><li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://en.blog.wordpress.com/2013/01/14/automattic-hiring/">We want you: Automattic is hiring in 2013</a></li></ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> <script type="text/javascript">  </script> <script type="text/javascript"> var _qevents = _qevents || [], wpcomQuantcastData = {"qacct":"p-18-mFEk4J448M","labels":",language.en,type.wpcom"}; function wpcomQuantcastPixel( labels, options ) { var i, defaults = wpcomQuantcastData, data = { event: 'ajax' }; labels = labels || ''; options = options || {}; if ( typeof labels != 'string' ) options = labels; for ( i in defaults ) { data[i] = defaults[i]; } for ( i in options ) { data[i] = options[i]; } if ( data.labels ) { data.labels += ',' + labels; } else { data.labels = labels; } _qevents.push( data ); }; (function() {var elem = document.createElement('script');elem.src = (document.location.protocol == "https:" ? "https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/https://secure" : "https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350/http://edge") + ".quantserve.com/quant.js";elem.async = true;elem.type = "text/javascript";var scpt = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];scpt.parentNode.insertBefore(elem, scpt); })(); _qevents.push( wpcomQuantcastData ); </script> <noscript><div style="display: none;"><img src="//web.archive.org/web/20130115223350im_/http://pixel.quantserve.com/pixel/p-18-mFEk4J448M.gif?labels=%2Clanguage.en%2Ctype.wpcom" height="1" width="1" alt=""/></div></noscript> <script type="text/javascript"> var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['pageload._setAccount', 'UA-10673494-4']); _gaq.push(['pageload._setDomainName','.wordpress.com']); _gaq.push(['pageload._setSiteSpeedSampleRate', 1]); _gaq.push(['pageload._trackPageview']); </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="//web.archive.org/web/20130115223350js_/http://0.gravatar.com/js/gprofiles.js?ver=201303ab"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> /* <![CDATA[ */ var WPGroHo = {"my_hash":""}; /* ]]> */ </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350js_/http://s0.wp.com/wp-content/mu-plugins/gravatar-hovercards/wpgroho.js?m=1351637563g"></script> <script>jQuery(document).ready(function($){ Gravatar.profile_cb = function( h, d ) { WPGroHo.syncProfileData( h, d ); }; Gravatar.my_hash = WPGroHo.my_hash; Gravatar.init( 'body', '#wp-admin-bar-my-account' ); });</script> <div style="display:none"> </div> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350js_/http://s0.wp.com/wp-content/mu-plugins/post-flair/sharing/sharing.js?m=1355532179g"></script> <div id="sharing_email" style="display: none;"> <form action="" method="post"> <label for="target_email">Send to Email Address</label> <input type="text" name="target_email" id="target_email" value=""/> <label for="source_name">Your Name</label> <input type="text" name="source_name" id="source_name" value=""/> <label for="source_email">Your Email Address</label> <input type="text" name="source_email" id="source_email" value=""/> <div class="recaptcha" id="sharing_recaptcha"></div><input type="hidden" name="recaptcha_public_key" id="recaptcha_public_key" value="6LcYW8MSAAAAADBAuEH9yaPcF7lWh11Iq62ZKtoo"/> <img style="float: right; display: none" class="loading" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350im_/http://s2.wp.com/wp-content/mu-plugins/post-flair/sharing/images/loading.gif?m=1315610318g" alt="loading" width="16" height="16"/> <input type="submit" value="Send Email" class="sharing_send"/> <a href="#cancel" class="sharing_cancel">Cancel</a> <div class="errors errors-1" style="display: none;"> Post was not sent - check your email addresses! </div> <div class="errors errors-2" style="display: none;"> Email check failed, please try again </div> <div class="errors errors-3" style="display: none;"> Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. </div> </form> </div> <script type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8"> jQuery(document).on( 'ready post-load', function(){ jQuery( 'a.share-twitter' ).on( 'click', function() { window.open( jQuery(this).attr( 'href' ), 'wpcomtwitter', 'menubar=1,resizable=1,width=600,height=350' ); return false; }); }); </script> <script type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8"> jQuery(document).on( 'ready post-load', function(){ jQuery( 'a.share-facebook' ).on( 'click', function() { window.open( jQuery(this).attr( 'href' ), 'wpcomfacebook', 'menubar=1,resizable=1,width=600,height=400' ); return false; }); }); </script> <script type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8"> jQuery(document).on( 'ready post-load', function(){ jQuery( 'a.share-google-plus-1' ).on( 'click', function() { window.open( jQuery(this).attr( 'href' ), 'wpcomgoogle-plus-1', 'menubar=1,resizable=1,width=600,height=600' ); return false; }); }); </script> <script type="text/javascript" charset="UTF-8" id="polldaddyRatings"><![CDATA[//><!]]></script><script type="text/javascript" charset="UTF-8" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350js_/http://i.polldaddy.com/ratings/rating.js"></script><script type="text/javascript"> /* <![CDATA[ */ var jsTxt = {"default_search_text":"Not seeing what you\u2019re looking for? Search here."}; /* ]]> */ </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350js_/http://s1.wp.com/_static/??/wp-content/js/devicepx.js,/wp-content/themes/a8c/wpsupport2/js/wpsupport2.js?m=1354728745j"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> // <![CDATA[ (function() { try{ if ( window.external &&'msIsSiteMode' in window.external) { if (window.external.msIsSiteMode()) { var jl = document.createElement('script'); jl.type='text/javascript'; jl.async=true; jl.src='/wp-content/plugins/ie-sitemode/custom-jumplist.php'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(jl, s); } } }catch(e){} })(); // ]]> </script><script src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350js_/http://s.stats.wordpress.com/w.js?21" type="text/javascript"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> st_go({'blog':'9619154','v':'wpcom','tz':'0','user_id':'0','post':'35364','subd':'en.support'}); ex_go({'crypt':'UE40eW5QN0p8M2Y/RE1TaVhzUzFMbjdWNHpwZGhTayxPSUFCMGN+PzI2XUEydFJZZnpNTFZfWHlbbHh3SVI0YzFIeE1dLC9lPzY9R0U3b1tIY2hJZXl+eD9MSzNka3p8ZWw/eG5DYnJEL2xwUU5DfjhUUjdbbEdUSks/SzQ3N2g9PzdbM1lrdGZtalRyaCxtMFBldTAwN0FZZXUxT3BFMmxOczlBZ3xkSFlUVV1bV0h2UDJ2a0hxJVlKV3VqXTBWZjByY2wmMERYcWo4M1o9aGNnfCwrU2hLZ1Z8fnFdOCtCN19uMGZ1SVloLUN8JmJ3WHpqNS9yP1htVnlNVjJrRWhFVDkzMixLVA=='}); addLoadEvent(function(){linktracker_init('9619154',35364);}); </script> <noscript><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130115223350im_/http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?v=noscript" style="height:0px;width:0px;overflow:hidden" alt=""/></noscript>  </body> </html> </div>