Password Strength Tips

By The Computer Solution llc 01 April, 2021

How Secure Is Your P@$$w0rd?

5 Ways to increase your password strength

Most sites that require a password have a minimum of 8 characters. But is the minimum enough? How quickly can your password be hacked? 8-character passwords that only have capital and lower-case letters can be hacked by a single computer in under 3 hours. If you then add a number, that increases the time for a single computer to hack to maybe a week at most, if that. Most people have been taught that the complexity of the password is enough. We end up with a password that’s difficult to remember, but easy to crack. So, what can we do?

1. A passphrase, instead of a password, can not only be easier to remember, the length and spaces make it much more secure. When using a passphrase, you can use common character or number substitutions for letters. Here’s an example: Substitute number 1 for letter i and number 0 for letter o, turning “I’m an administrator” into “1’m an Adm1n1strat0r”
A brute force attack would take one hundred quintillion years to crack that password. That’s 100,000,000,000,000,000,000 years, and it’s really easy to remember. Most sites will allow you to enter spaces and other characters like commas, apostrophes, and quotation marks instead of the default options most people use such as an exclamation mark or dollar sign. When creating your passphrase, make it meaningful to you and use symbols other than these ! ? . * $

2. Even if you don’t use number substitutions or special characters, the length of your passphrase will help with your security. Here are some examples: Enjoy every moment – is 18 characters long, easy to remember and would take 1 quadrillion years to crack Believe in yourself – is 19 characters long, inspirational, memorable and would take 1 hundred quadrillion years to crack
Test your passwords by typing them into this very useful site.
https://www.security.org/how-secure-is-my-password/
As you type your password, it's immediately encrypted, never stored or saved, and they will tell you how long it would take for a computer to crack your password.

“PASSWORDS ARE LIKE UNDERWEAR: YOU DON'T LET PEOPLE SEE IT, YOU SHOULD CHANGE IT OFTEN, AND YOU SHOULDN'T SHARE IT WITH STRANGERS." 

Chris Pirillo

3. Alternatively, you can use a password creation and management tool such as Dashlane or LastPass. These tools are designed to help you navigate the complex world of passwords and better manage your security. Not only do they securely store your passwords, but they can also generate strong, unique passwords for each of your accounts. Think of them as a digital vault - you only need to remember one master password, and the tool handles the rest. Most password managers will automatically fill in your login information across all your devices, alert you if any of your passwords have been compromised in a data breach, and remind you when it's time to update old passwords. They even have tutorials to help you learn how to effectively use them, making the transition to better password security practically effortless.

4. Turn on other security features for your accounts such as 2-factor authentication (2FA) or use a passkey with your device. This will make it so that another device you register with your account is required for access. Although it can be considered to be less convenient, it is exponentially more secure. When you enable 2FA, even if someone manages to crack your password, they still can't access your account without the second verification step - typically a code sent to your phone or generated by an authenticator app. Many services now offer biometric authentication options like fingerprint or face recognition as well. Think of it as adding a deadbolt to your door lock - it's an extra step when entering, but the added security is worth those few extra seconds.

Don't use your pet's name for your password

5. An alarming number of people use the name of a pet or a relative as a major part of their password. Simply put… don’t. Passwords become very, very easy to guess by people who know you just enough and don’t actually require technical expertise to bypass your security. Don’t use the closest thing around you when creating a password. Actually give some thought to your password creation before it’s time to create a new one. It's generally a wise idea to have a plan in place ahead of time. 

BONUS TIP: Create a Password Update Schedule Just like changing your smoke detector batteries when daylight savings time changes, create a regular schedule for updating your passwords. Pick a specific date - perhaps your half-birthday or the first of each quarter - and use that time to review and update your most important passwords. This creates a routine that helps maintain your digital security without feeling overwhelming.

Ready to strengthen your digital security? Don't wait for a security breach to take action. Contact us at The Computer Solution today for a comprehensive security review and personalized recommendations to protect your digital life. We can help you implement these password strategies and set up additional security measures to keep your data safe. Call (970) 426-5486 or visit our website to learn more about our security services.