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Passwords have been used for centuries. From men guarding secret meeting room doors to today’s average log in page, they are the most basic line of defense against unwanted visitors. Every respectable account requires a password and each one has to be something you will remember – but also something that no one else can figure out. Here are a few steps that you can take to make a safer password for your accounts.

So, why do hackers keep figuring out your password? It probably has to do with what you used for your password. Birth dates, mother’s maiden names, favorite pet names and anything else that can be found with a simple Google search means that you need to change your password. Social sites are making it much easier to find personal information online, so anything that’s on your Facebook page shouldn’t be your password – unless you fortify it.

Whatever word or phrase you use, follow the three out of four rule. To make a safe password, use three types of the following – either capital letters, lowercase letters, numbers or symbols. Using your favorite pet’s name is fine as long as you change off some of the letters with caps, numbers or symbols. The name “Bingo” might become “B1nG0” and so on. Just make sure that you use a blend of character types will save you a lot of hassle and keep those pesky hackers out.

Of course, no matter how amazingly wonderful your password is – never share it. Passwords should be strictly private.