Is it really necessary to change my passwords and usernames periodically

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 Although it isn't technically necessary for you to change your passwords or usernames, it's usually a good idea to do so. It's harder to hit a moving target than a stationary one; likewise, it's harder for a cracker or other malicious user to discover your logon credentials if you periodically change them. Most commercial Web sites don't force you to update your credentials, but it's easy to change them on demand through an account management Web page (the exact process varies for each site). There are no hard rules that dictate how often to change your credentials, but obviously, the more critical or sensitive a Web service is to you, the more often you should change the logon information. For example, if you do all of your banking and bill paying online, it's not unreasonable to change your credentials once a month.
 
 In addition, with more people handling increasingly sensitive tasks online, it's important to consider a failsafe plan for logon credentials. One solution might be to keep a list of logon credentials in the family safe. If one spouse handles the household finances, perhaps the other spouse may not readily know the logon information needed to access online accounts. And what if the spouse in charge of finances winds up in the hospital (or worse), and the other spouse isn't able to access important household resources? An emergency list of usernames and passwords may be the only solution to this predicament.