Password Security

When is a password secure? How long would it take a hacker to break it?

Use this website to check your own password. Mine hit 2 million years…

Ways to create a strong password:

1) no dictionary words, proper nouns – nothing backwards or with a number simply tacked on the end
2) no personal information (don’t use a child or pet’s name, birthdate. phone numbers, etc…) – at least make it a challenge for the hacker
3) length, width and depth create a degree of complexity

• longer is better (6 – 9 characters?)
• width is the type of characters – use 3 of the 4 types in your password (A,B,C,etc. and a,b,c,… and  1,2,3,… and $,?,&)
• depth – choose something difficult to guess; think of phrases, use mnemonics, use the first letter of each word in a phrase, substitute numbers for letters, etc..

For more information, use google. Here are a few links to get your started: