You can protect your computer -- and more importantly, the sensitive information that may reside on it – without needing a degree in computer engineering.

If you've been following the news lately, you've no doubt read up on all the computer attacks, data breaches and cases of identity theft. Consider it a by-product of the information age.

So, what to do? We've covered a lot of ground in this Telus Talks Business blog over the past year – from tips on securing your wireless network to safer online shopping to reducing the odds of a spammed "phishing" attack – but now let's cover a few tips to creating a strong password for anything you or your business associates do online.

The basics

Creating a good password isn't difficult, but it does more time to come up with one than using common ones like "password," "123456," your phone number or your kids' or pet's names – all of which are not recommended for obvious reasons. A strong password is at least 7 characters long, has a combination of letters, numbers and symbols, and the same password shouldn’t be used for all of your online activities. After all, once someone finds out one password, they've got access to everything else. There are also some online password checkers that evaluate the strength of your password.

Words and acronyms work, too

If you don't want to use the recommended combination of letters, numbers and symbols, at least keep in mind single word passwords are easier to break than multiple word passwords. Instead of "monkey," use something like "orangemonkey" or "bigmonkeyface." Alternatively, use the first letter from a phrase – say, from a favourite song – so Bruno Mars' "Liquor Store Blues feat. Damian Marley" becomes "LSBFDM." This should be an easy password to remember – and better yet, at a number and symbol to this, too.

Managing multiple passwords

Because it's recommended not to use the same password for everything, come up with a system to better remember each of them, such as adding a relevant letter to the front, middle or end of the password – such as "b" for "banking," "s" for shopping, "f" for Facebook or "d" for an online dating site. If it's difficult to remember your passwords, use a trusted "password manager" program on your computer or smartphone, which requires a master password to get in, and then you can see all the rest of the passwords inside.

Change it up

Every so often, change up your passwords just to keep malicious types on their toes. How often you do it boils down to your comfort level, but I’d recommend at least every couple of months is probably conservative enough. Again, this is a personal thing, but the longer you keep the same password, the greater the chance someone could guess it, share it and use the information against you if they’re motivated enough. On a related note, don’t share your password. A recent U.S.-based survey showed tweens and teens frequently give out their passwords to friends -- and don't change it after they've had a falling out.

A step ahead

Google, for example, now offers a two-step authentication process, which serves as an extra security measure to protect your online accounts from being compromised. It confirms you – and only you – are granted access to your Google apps, such as Gmail. In addition to a standard username and password you'll also need a code that's sent via text message to your mobile phone. Before you gain access to the Google app, you'll be prompted to enter that short verification code. Instead of a text message, you can also download and install the Google Authenticator app on your Android, BlackBerry or iPhone. Many other companies are using two-step authentication, as well.

Heed the call

When you set up a landline or mobile phone voicemail, depending on your provider/carrier your voicemail password by default might be the last 4 digits of your phone number (9492) or the month and year of your birthdate (e.g. 0471 for April of 1971). Don’t keep these default voicemail passwords -- they're only meant to help you log in once and chance it to something else. Someone can easily see your birthday on Facebook; even if you don’t reveal the information, chances are family, friends and colleagues will post something to your wall on the big day.

Public enemy no. 1

If you're using a public computer – such as a shared PC at a library, cybercafé or airport lounge – be sure not to do private things better done at home (such as online banking). You might forget to clear the browser history, cache and cookies (or accidentally click to "remember my password" on these sites) and the next person could gain access. Or, there could be "keystroke logging" software or hardware on the public PC that tracks what you type on the keyboard -- a tip is to use the mouse on an onscreen keyboard offered by Windows if you must enter a password.

Thousands of downloadable programs and online services exist on the web -- if you know where to look, that is.

From free anti-virus to no-cost alternatives for storing important files, there's no shortage of quality programs. There might be a catch, however: some of these apps may be advertising-supported and don't offer extensive tech support, if any. In some cases, you might also see a "nag screen" to upgrade to a pro version of the software.

But for Canadian entrepreneurs or small businesses looking to save some cash, these are often minor inconveniences.

And so the following is a look at five recommended freebies.

To serve and protect

A small handful of anti-virus programs are available to download and use – for free -- but one of the highest-rated is Avast! Free Antivirus, which has received an average user score of 4.5 stars out of 5 at CNET.com. This program protects your computer in real time from viruses and spyware, the latter of which can be Trojan horse files buried in another download and secretly spying on your web surfing activity. Spyware can also slow down your PC, cause inappropriate pop-up windows or even add a toolbar to your web browser without your permission. Time is money, as they say, so your business likely can't afford to slow down over an infected computer. Avast! isn't just for web protection, but also filters your emails, instant messaging programs, and more. A simple-to-use interface also makes it a great pick for computer users on a tight budget.

What's up, Docs?

While Microsoft Office is the granddaddy of office productivity software, you could spend up to $669 for the suite of programs ("Professional Edition"). Instead, the completely free OpenOffice.org from Oracle includes a number of powerful applications that include word processing, spreadsheets, presentation creation, databases and graphics. OpenOffice.org is also available in multiple languages and runs on many operating systems, plus the suite supports a wide range of file types created by other programs (yes, you can even import your Microsoft Office files such as .doc, .xls, .ppt, and others). Because this is "open-source software," you can install it on as many computers as you like and make copies for your employees, friends and family.

To the cloud!

It's important to back up important files to protect them from theft, fire, flood, nasty viruses and power surges. Instead of buying an external hard drive or USB thumbdrive, however, you can take advantage of free online storage with services such as Microsoft's Windows Live SkyDrive. Consider it a password-protected virtual drive that resides on the web, with up to 25 gigabytes (GB) of free storage offered per account (you can have multiple accounts). Not only is Windows Live SkyDrive easy to use, but you can also access your files from any Internet-connected computer in the world, and, if you like, even section off part of your storage folders for colleagues or clients to access with a different password -- ideal for sharing large files.

Customer care

Customer Relationship Management software could run you a pretty penny, but a small business might first consider a free alternative to see if it suits their needs. FreeCRM.com, for example, is a web-based solution for managing customer data and sales force automation – including common tasks ranging from contact/lead tracking, sales forecasting and pipeline management, group calendaring, support ticket and customer service, call automation, integrated email campaigns, and more. This software is free to use for up to 50 users, while the "pro" (paid) version adds advanced features such as support automation, XML web services, synchronization tools, technical support, unlimited data storage and no advertisements.

Picture perfect

Chances are your business deals with photos on a daily basis, whether it's product pictures, website design, editing for social media initiatives or newsletters and brochures. So, how do you organize, edit and share these assets? One of the most intuitive and powerful – and free -- photo management programs is Google's Picasa. The 12-megabyte download is a breeze to use, offers many editing tools (including exceptional one-click red-eye fix) and has a clever "tagging" feature that scans all the photos in your collection, identifies the ones with faces, and groups photos with similar faces together; then you can add name tags to dozens of photos at once by clicking "Add a name" below a photo and typing in the person's name. Picasa currently works on Windows, Macintosh and even Linux operating systems. More advanced users in search of free photo editing software might consider GIMP, also available for Windows, Mac, Linux and other operating systems.