Beyond Passwords

Nowadays, a good password may not be enough, especially to protect your most sensitive information and accounts. You may want to look into what the experts call "two-factor" identification to protect yourself.

If you have an ATM card, you're already using "two-factor" authentication. That means you need two things -- something you have (your ATM card) and something you know (your PIN number) to access your information.

Many vendors now offer tokens, smart cards, or even biometric scanners (that read thumb prints and other distinctive bodily markers) that can be used in conjunction with passwords to make your most sensitive information even more secure.

Ask your bank, credit card provider(s) and Internet service provider if they offer additional authentication tools for more sensitive transactions.