Using password programs is one of the best things you can do to protect yourself against password theft. However, even using the most secure password manager can leave you vulnerable if you don't take extra safety precautions. Along with using password software or online password protection, there are some other steps that you can take as a business or individual to protect your important online information:

Never write down passwords: With too many passwords to remember, many people take to writing down their passwords somewhere they think is secure, like on a data file on their computer. But if your computer (such as a laptop) is ever lost or stolen, this makes it easy for the thief to also access your personal accounts.

Change your passwords regularly: This is especially important in business settings, where passwords can frequently be distributed throughout the company. Not changing your password means that a rogue former employee could gain access to important sites and files and use them for malicious purposes.

Make old passwords new: If you are going to change your password, make sure you change it to something completely different than what it currently is. Simply adding a "1" to the end of the current password does little to nothing to make it more secure.

With the advent of new technologies, there are many ways to keep your passwords secure. A free password manager such as Mitto.com can offer excellent security while allowing you - and only you - to access your private sites from anywhere. There's no reason to "hope" that your passwords stay secure.