Password Security

Creating a Secure Password

Whenever you start a new account, whether it is an e-mail, a login to a website, or even creating a new user on a shared computer, a lot of the time you are required to have a password. Passwords are nice to have, but it's important that the strength of your password is considered "strong". So, what exactly does that imply?

Passwords are meant to keep information or documents secure or private. Without passwords, it would almost be as if anyone could have access to your e-mail or personal information on your computer. But what exactly are the guidelines to creating a secure and "strong" password?

Well ladies and gentlemen, I will inform you now that if your ideal password is, well, "password", we have more problems than I imagined.

A strong password usually includes around more than 8 characters, including numbers, symbols, various punctuation, and capitalization. Passwords are usually phrases that are personal to you, the password creator itself. Maybe it's a favorite book or song title, or even a short phrase you like.

Let's take a look at some passwords that are considered "weak".

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1. The obvious weak password -- "password".

Why, do you ask, is this password weak? There is nothing unique about it whatsoever and it is simple enough for anyone to guess. It's almost like naming a dog "Dog". It's just something you do not do.

2. If your name is Joe Anderson -- "joeanderson".

I mean, who is going to forget their name, after all? A common mistake, people tend to use personal information as their password, but in all reality, using your name as your password is nowhere near secure.

3. Changing letter-to-symbol conversions -- "il0vey0u".

Sure, this may be better than a simple "iloveyou" as a password, but simply converting the letter "o" to a "0" really doesn't make it any more difficult for a hacker to crack your password.

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So I'm sure you're wondering, “What are some examples of ‘strong’ passwords?”

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