Coming up with a password is a compromise between security and convenience. Very complex passwords are highly secure but difficult to remember. To make them work, computer users end up in a constant loop of resetting the forgotten passwords or relying on writing them down on Post-its stuck to their desktop monitors. Once a hacker for example gets into your email account, they can easily and immediately start searching for any linked or related accounts that you might have. How many sites have the “Forgot your password? Have a new one sent to your email account”

So what makes a good password?

Using upper and lower cases, symbols and numbers does matter. These tactics increase how random and guessable your passwords are, as well as the time it takes a program to crack your password with brute force through algorithms. To make a password more secure, add special characters in unpredictable places and increase the length which is the most important factor in password strength. Using a pass phrase of random words is significantly harder for a computer program to guess while also being easy for a human to memorise.

What else can you do?

Beyond the password there are other things you can do to add security and protect yourself against anyone who is actively trying to steal your data. For example you could lie on your security question so that easy to find personal information about you – like your mother’s maiden name, street you were born on etc. does not allow a hacker to reset your password. Instead of revealing, your mother’s maiden name, for example, misspell it in some way you will remember but others could not guess.

What Questions Do You Have?

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