HOW TO CREATE STRONG PASSWORDS

Let’s begin with the truth: there is no such thing as a perfect password.
A committed hacker can crack any password, given enough time and the right tools. But just like breaking into a car, if the protection is strongenough, the hacker will become discouraged and give up before the protection fails.

The best password is a long string of cryptic characters but these
passwords are also very frustrating to remember.

KEY TO A STRONG PASSWORD

TURN AN EASY-TO-REMEMBER PHRASE INTO A CRYPTIC WORD THAT WILL DISCOURAGE HACKERS.

MAKE YOUR PASSWORD LONG!

10 CHARACTERS IS OK
12 CHARACTERS IS BETTER
AND 15 CHARACTERS IS EXCELLENT

NOTE: Ideally, employees who store important information, such as proprietary or financial information, should create a 15-character password for high-level security. Fifteen is a special number in Microsoft Windows. At 14 characters and less, Windows passwords are scrambled as “hashes” (encrypted into unseen scrambled characters), and stored in hidden Windows system files. A gifted hacker may be able to access stored hashes and unscramble your passwords. However, Windows no longer stores hashed passwords at 15 characters and longer. Yes, it is annoying to type 15 characters, but some situations may merit the effort.

START SIMPLE AND THEN
ADD LAYERS OF COMPLEXITY

Start designing the password with a memorable meaningful phrase and
then make it complex by adding numbers and special characters.

  • Pick a word or multi-word phrase that is meaningful to you. Mix one or two letters to be upper case.
  • Then change one or two letters to be numbers.
  • For a sneaky twist: Insert one or two non-alphabetic characters, such vas!, *, %, $, or #.

INVEST IN A PASSWORD MANAGER

It gets the job done by allowing you to keep track of your passwords without having to memorize them all. It serves both as a warehouse and a security guard for your personal data. It helps you stay safe online and be more digitally secure by simplifying the steps to using strong passwords.

DO NOT STORE YOUR
PASSWORD ON PAPER

Never keep your passwords on a piece of paper under the keyboard or in your wallet because they can be easily lost or found. If you must store your passwords, keep the passwords’ hints instead. For example, rather than storing “Rocky2Grapes” use “puppy’s name, age and favorite snack.”

25 WORST PASSWORDS