Microsoft Passport is a single sign-in service designed to make it easy for you to work online while helping protect the security of your personal data.

It's easy. There's only one name and password to remember, so it conveniently helps protect the security of your file, and there's less chance that you'll forget your password. After you sign in to one participating site or application, you can sign in to others with just one click. If you have an MSN Hotmail account or an MSN account, you already have a Passport. You can sign in to Money using your e-mail name and password.

Using a Microsoft Passport when you're online gives you several advantages:

• It's easy. There's only one name and password to remember, so it secures your file more conveniently and there's less chance that you'll forget your password. After you sign in to one participating site or application, you can sign in to others with just one click. If you have an MSN Hotmail account or an MSN account, you already have a Microsoft Passport. You can sign in to Money using your e-mail name and password.
• It's fast. You can conveniently store the personal information that you choose in your Microsoft Passport, so you won't have to retype it when you visit participating sites.
• It helps protect your Money file. Passport helps protect the security of your information by making it more difficult for others to access your Money file. In addition, Passport uses encryption technology and strict privacy policies to help protect your information online. When you sign out, your Passport-related personal information is deleted from the computer to help protect the security of your personal data on public or shared computers.
• It allows you to use Money's online features. Several of Money's online features use the security technology built in to Passport. You'll need a Passport for:
• Convenient Background Banking to keep your file up to date.
• Convenient MSN Bill Pay services, integrated with Money.
• Access to your accounts and portfolio from any online computer, using MSN Money synchronization.
• You can get help if you forget your password. If you cannot remember your password, Passport can help you recover your Money file.

A standard password uses the built-in features of the Windows operating system to help protect the security of your Money file. When Windows tries to open the file, it asks you to type your password. Windows does not encrypt your password; it uses only plain text. If you forget your password, there is no way to recover the data in your Money file.

Using a Microsoft Passport with your Money file helps protect the security of your information, because your Passport password is encrypted using industry-leading security protocols. The limited personal information associated with your Passport is encrypted and stored on Microsoft servers, and encryption protocols are used when your Passport information is transmitted over the Internet. Also, because of the way Passport works, if someone removes or copies your Money file from your computer, they cannot open it, even if they have your password. If you forget your password, Passport can help you create a new one.

A strong password is one that is relatively difficult to guess or break. Regardless of whether you use a Passport or a standard password to help protect the security of your Money file, you should create a strong password. A strong password should:

• Be at least seven characters long.
• Contain a combination of uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numerals, and special symbol characters (non-numeric and non-alphabetic).
• Have at least one symbol character in the second through sixth positions.
• Be significantly different from prior passwords.
• Not contain your name, your account name, or any other word that could be easily guessed (such as a pet's name or your street address).
• Not be a common word or name.

Password cracking software tries to use intelligent guessing techniques to find your password, or compare your password with dictionary words in an attempt to crack it. Using a strong password can thwart these attempts.

If you have a Hotmail account or an MSN account, you already have a Passport. You can sign in to Money using your e-mail name and password.

If you already have a Passport that you use with an online financial feature, such as MSN Money synchronization, you should use the same Passport with Money.

Remember that a Passport gives you access to many Web sites and applications, including various e-mail services. So if you share access to your Money file with someone else, make sure the Passport you use is one you're comfortable sharing. Or, you may want to create a new Passport that you only use to access your Money file and use Money's online features.

And, of course, if you don't have a Passport (or an existing Hotmail or MSN account), it's easy to create one here!

If you set up Money using a Passport to access your file, Money will try to connect to the Internet each time you open your file. Money then checks with the Passport site to validate your sign-in information and temporarily stores that information on your computer. Money uses that information when you use Money's online features, like Background Banking or MSN Bill Pay.

If you don't want to access the Internet, or Money cannot access the Passport site because of an error, you can still use your Money file. To use your Money file, just select I don't need to use online features that require Passport this time when you sign in. Money won't try to access the Internet, and you can access and use your Money file as you normally would. However, you cannot use Money's online features.

If you forget your password, Passport can verify your identity using a secret question that you create when you set up your Passport. You can then reset your password and access your Money file.

With Microsoft Passport, you can take advantage of the following Money online features:

• Background banking. When you save your passwords for your financial institutions in Money and assign a Passport to your Money file, you can set Money to retrieve financial data from the Internet automatically. You must sign in to Money each time you start your computer to open Background Banking. Then, Money will download your most current bank account balances, interest rates, and stock quotes from your financial institutions as long as you are connected to the Internet (even when Money isn't running).
• MSN Bill Pay services. You can pay your bills online using MSN Bill Pay services, which are integrated with Money.
• Synchronization with MSN Money on the Web. You can access your accounts and portfolio from any online computer.

Money helps you experience all the convenience of online finances without worrying about the security of your data. Money has taken several steps to help protect the safety of your data and help keep it under your control. To read the full privacy policy for Passport, click here.

Microsoft Passport. The first and most important step you can take to help protect the security of your Money file is to password-protect it using Microsoft Passport. Passport is easy to use, and if you forget your password, Passport simply verifies your identity using a secret question that you create when you set up your Passport. Then, you can set a new password.

Storing financial data on MSN Money. It's easy to upload your account information and your portfolio to MSN Money. You'll have the conveniences of working with your data from any Web-enabled computer. A single Microsoft Passport helps protect the online data as well as your Money data. And, if something happens to your home computer, such as fire or theft, you can still access important financial information.

Background Banking. It's easy to use Money when you download your transactions from your financial institutions. Money helps protect downloads with 128-bit encryption technology, as well as the log-on data required to access your accounts. And after you download, your encrypted Passport helps protect the security of that data from unauthorised persons, whether they break into your home or break into your computer from the Internet.

Important: Money's security and privacy policy does not apply to Web sites you view using Money's Web browser. Security for those sites depends on the Web site provider.