The answer is likely "yes" and surely you would use a lock that is sturdy and secure.

Just like how we protect our own home, the security of our online data and IT accounts of any sort are equally important. Acts of cybercrime are happening every day globally, where data may be stolen or altered, disrupting our daily activities and even crippling our organisation's critical IT infrastructure.

Having a strong password for our IT accounts is akin to having a good quality lock. Believe it or not, most people's passwords are weak, leaving many of us susceptible to having our information hacked.

Here are some things to consider when coming up with a password:

Make it long.
Fun fact, a hacker attempting the four-character password can break it in less than 30 minutes while the eight-character password would take up to 89 years!

Mix it up.
A diverse mix of characters makes the password harder to crack. Include numbers, symbols, and upper and lower case letters.

Throw the dictionary out.
Your password should not be a dictionary word or combination of dictionary words. For example, 'house' or 'red house' are bad passwords.

Don't be obvious.
Do not rely on obvious substitutions such as 'H0use'. A 'zero' in place of the alphabet 'O' is not strong.

Here are 5 quick and easy tips to creating stronger and more secure passwords.

1. Mnemonics
This is a technique that allows people to retrieve information easily
For example:
My son Caleb was born at 8.05
Possible Password: MsCwb@8:05

2. Letter Substitutions
Substituting numbers or symbols for selected letters to increase password complexity
For example:
S = $, L=1 & E=3
Possible Passwords: $133P, C1a$$3$....etc. 

3. Misspelled Words
Change the spelling of words
Possible Passwords: Supe (Soup), Halliday (Holiday), Shevrolet (Chevrolet)…etc.

4. Compound Words
Use phrases with the spaces removed
Possible Passwords: LateNightTelevision, GreenEggsAndHam, PatientCareIsCritical

5. Keyboard Patterns
Make use of muscle memory! Try using patterns on your keyboard and remember to avoid using straight lines, for example 'qwerty'. Opt to use zigzags or multiple shorter lines and try to incorporate numbers and/or special characters.
For example:

 Remember:

Do not share, store or write down your passwords. If there's any chance that someone might know your password, be safe and change it immediately. Online security does not have to be a chore and that it only takes a few seconds to protect ourselves and keep out intruders.