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Computer Tip of the Week Passwords: How to select passwords with muscle HIPAA requires strong passwords, along with effective password training. Here’s how to select strong passwords that are easy to remember and fun to create. Does your password training currently go something like this?  Select a password that is easy to remember, but hard to guess.  Do not use your name, your children’s, animal’s, or parent’s names  Do not use a word found in the dictionary Include alpha and numeric characters Password minimum is 7 characters Do not write your password down Do not share your password with anyone Not bad…these are all valid, common rules you may have seen for choosing passwords. However, selecting quality, easy-to-remember passwords requires a little more effort — and can be a whole lot more fun! Remember a favorite song. Is it “The Wheels On The Bus Go Round and Round” or “In a Gadda Da Vida?”  Use either song — or any other favorite — to create a password that is more difficult to crack. Take the first letter of each word and then add a special character or number and you will have a good password. “The Wheels On the Bus Go Round And Round” becomes TWOTBG$. “In a Gadda Da Vida” becomes IAG8DV. If you and music don’t mix, consider something about you, your friends or family. “My Daughter Attends Trinity Presbyterian School.” That becomes MDATPS—or, add a special character or number and statistically it gets even stronger, MD@TPS. “I Took My Son To See Shrek,” becomes ITMS2SS. Your button still isn’t pushed? Another technique for creating passwords that aren’t in a dictionary or easily guessed is to combine words to create new words.  Examples would include Party Animal, which becomes PARANI%.  Happy New Year becomes HAPNEWY*. No password is perfect, and even the best system can be broken with enough time, money and computing power.  But by using creative techniques like these, you will create better passwords. This will strengthen security and help ensure patient confidentiality. It’s your turn. Be creative—and select a first class password. It may even be fun!