Protect your password:

Don't write down your password, memorize it. In particular, don't write it down and leave it anywhere, and don't place it in an unencrypted file! Use unrelated passwords for systems controlled by different organizations. Don't give or share your password, in particular to someone claiming to be from computer support or a vendor unless you are sure they are who they say they are. Don't let anyone watch you enter your password. Don't enter your password on a computer you don't trust. Use the password for a limited time and change it periodically.

Choose a hard to guess password:

Create your password wisely. Don't use something you'd find in a dictionary. Don't use a name (including that of a spouse, parent, child, pet, fantasy character, famous person, or location) or any variation of your personal or account name. Don't use accessible information about you or your environment, such as your phone number, license plate or social security number. Don't use a birthday or a simple pattern, such as backwards, followed by a digit, or proceeded by a digit. Instead, use a mixture of upper and lower case letters, as well as digits or punctuation. When choosing a new password, make sure it's unrelated to any previous password. Use long passwords (say between six and ten characters long). You also might use a word pair with punctuation inserted, a pass phrase (an understandable sequence of words), or the first letter of each word in a pass phrase.