Each year, SplashData releases a list of the worst passwords. The top two passwords remain unchanged from the prior year being “123456” and “password.” If your password is “password,” it is time for you to reassess and improve your internet security.

Your password is the entry point to your smart office. Avoid the risk and keep separate keys for your digital world—just as you do for the buildings and vehicles you have in the physical world. If you don’t, you or your farm office could be the victim of identity theft or theft from one of your bank accounts. Here are some tips to help you to secure your smart office:

1. Be original – Avoid all of the passwords on the worst password list, but also seek out passwords that are complex and unique using uppercase and lower case letters, as well as interchanging numbers, symbols and punctuation. Never use the same password for all of your accounts. Focus on maintaining strong passwords.

2. Recover – Password recovery options allow you to access your accounts if you forget your passwords. Make sure you setup recovery options on all of your accounts. If you fail to do so, you risk not being able to access your accounts if you forget your password. Recovery options allow you to validate your account through hints, security questions, a text message, a phone call or a secret code that you give to a service provider.

3. Change often – There is no need to change your passwords so often that you confuse yourself, but you should set a frequency that you are comfortable with throughout the year to make a change. Above all, if you are aware of a data breach or suspicious activity on your account(s) or computer, change your passwords immediately.

4. Step to it – Not all accounts allow it, but whenever available, add two-step verification to your email, cloud storage and other online accounts. This is very important for accounts that hold confidential or sensitive information.

What tips do you have for password security? Tell me about it in the comments below, on Twitter @nerdsquawk or via email at [email protected].

The opinions of the author are not necessarily those of Farm Futures or Penton Agriculture.