Why Your Password Is Hackable Why Passwords Are The Foundation Of Computer Security

The passwords we use secure our identity, and treasured belongings can be potentially harmed if these credentials become compromised.

As technology advances, so does the need for strong, complex passwords. Multi-factor authentication is another security step commonly used to advance security.

How do you create secure passwords and keep them safe?

There are multiple answers to this question.

Until recently, passwords were “good passwords” if they had six to eight characters.

Use Entropy, Don’t Make Your Password Predictable

Now we gauge password strength by the measure of predictability, also known as entropy (Weaver, C. 2016, January 19).

Using this strategy allows the user to break down their password by the likelihood it will be guessed. The more complex the password is, the harder it is to guess. An example of a good password includes a mix of upper and lowercase letters, symbols, and numbers.

Adam Pittman of Computerbilities recommends passwords should be at least 12 to 16 characters and changed at least every 90 days.

Passphrases Are Easier To Remember

When you have multiple passwords logging into critical accounts daily, remembering such long/ complex sequences of letters can be challenging and time-consuming. To create easy to remember and complex secure passwords. Start with a sentence you will remember and add numbers and symbols that correlate to the sentence. A great example would be:

Lucylovesbagels,4dinnner$

Using this formula to create a password is also known as a passphrase. Create secure and complex passwords can take time to master, so don’t stress if you don’t create the perfect one the first time.

Password Managers Simplify Many Complex Passwords

Now that you’ve created that password, I am sure you will need to make more for the many accounts that you have. Even with password creation strategies such as passphrases, there are still many passwords you will have to remember. This is where password managers come into play.

Password managers such as Passportal make it easy to keep passwords in a secure vault and accessible to each user in the company. It’s almost impossible to remember all your passwords without a password manager.

Want to learn more about good password creation and get some advice from the experts? Watch this live stream conducted by nine technology experts across the United States:

Don’t have time to watch the video? Schedule a call with Cybersecurity Expert and Computerbilities President Adam Pittman to discuss any of your password questions or concerns. Email [email protected] to request your call.

Weaver, C. (2016, January 19). A Somewhat Brief Explanation of Password Entropy. IT Dojo.