Create a strong passcode, one that you can remember and is not easily guessed by a human or computer. We used to think of a password as a word or phrase, but those are now too easy to crack, so the best way to improve your online security is with a passcode. Your passcode should have eight or more characters and include letters, numbers and symbols. Make sure to use different user IDs and passcodes for your financial accounts and for any other sites you use online.

Don’t respond to suspicious emails that claim to be from your bank, the IRS or any other company requesting your account details. No bank or government agency is ever likely to approach you this way to ask for personal information. A quick glance at the email address might help determine validity—if a company name is misspelled or the email is from a public domain, it’s probably not a legitimate email.

The more you post about yourself on social networking sites, the easier it might be for someone to use that information to access your accounts, steal your identity and more. Maximizing your privacy settings on social networking sites can also help protect your personal information.

Look for security-enabled website addresses that start with “https” (the extra “s” indicates security). These sites take extra measures to help secure your information. This is particularly important if you’re making purchases using your credit card. Requests for personal information or calls for immediate action while surfing the web are almost always scams. If you suspect a link might give you a virus or steal personal data, don’t click on it. If a suspicious link is sent to you, verify that the sender and where it came from are legitimate.

Many mobile devices give you the option of locking your screen, which helps keep data stored on them secure. Depending on your phone, this can come in the form of a passcode, a pattern you draw on your phone’s touch screen, or the most secure option: biometrics such as your fingerprint or face.

Sensitive information includes your bank account numbers, identification information, passcodes, answers to your security questions and any other personal details. If you bank via mobile app, the information in your app should have additional protections like multifactor authentication to keep your information secure.

Make sure to update your computer’s operating system, your internet browser and the software on your mobile devices. Updates generally include the latest security patches. Be sure to also use antivirus and antispyware software: These programs help find and remove malicious programs from your computer.