COLUMBUS (WCMH) — One of the keys to protecting your digital identity is developing strong passwords for all of your accounts.

“You shouldn’t be using any dictionary words,” says Matthew Curtin, founder of Interhack, a local computer security firm. “So if your password is apple or password, or something like that, it’s just a horrible idea.”

Curtin says you cannot think of the passwords as just a series of words and numbers. Rather, think of them as a key to unlocking a puzzle.

“The big thing is to think about phrases, the way to authenticate, it’s not just a password, it’s a challenge response, if you think about that kind of interaction, and the strength of the system and how secure your stuff is up to you.”

Don’t use passwords that people can connect to you such as birthdates or anniversaries. And change your password often.

“I would say 90 days, 60 days is fine, 30 days is fine,” Curtin says. “The important thing to understand is what your password strength is, whether you’re using pass phrases or how complex it would be for someone to figure it out.”What others are clicking on: