For any of your accounts — including your BlazerID — your password can be a gateway to reams of information, from your birth date to your bank data.

Protecting your password means more than just not sharing it — it means creating one that is long, strong and complicated.

Here are some tips and tools:

• Create a long password with special symbols for extra security. A seven-character password — even one complicated by numbers, symbols and upper and lowercase letters — takes only 31 seconds to crack with today’s technology. But a 16-character password with the same complexity can take 92 billion years to crack.
• Never use the same password twice! It’s tempting to help you remember, but use a password manager instead to keep track of passwords for various accounts. UAB offers Keeper for free.
• Don’t share your password OR your Duo codes. Recent scams targeting individuals at UAB have tried to force people into giving up their Duo passcodes or phone numbers. Don’t fall for it.
• Avoid using personal information in your passwords, such as your name or birth date.