How long should my password be?
Quick answer: 14-16 characters is recommended... but why?
Below is a graph that shows the length of a password/passphrase versus how long it takes to crack (hack into).
A password of 6 characters long takes a few minutes to break these days but one with 16 characters can take more than a lifetime.
The first thing most people say is that long passwords are impossible to remember. However, the opposite is true as having a longer password actually makes it easier to remember!
Replacing Passwords with Passphrases is the trick to this.
A Passphrase is a longer, memorable sentence that means something to you.
e.g. iLive@numbeR48
A passphrase structure with a minimum of 14+ characters should be implemented for all logins to all systems. Use Two or Three Words with Uppercase, Lowercase, Numbers and symbols. Think "passphrase" not password which makes it easier to remember.
Here is another example: iEat4cakes@4pm
However, just because it is long, don't fall into the trap of using easily guessable or identifiable words in the passphrase. eg BusinessName123!
Theoretically, this does meet the 14+ character requirement but it could be worked out.
Give passphrases a lot of thought and make sure each one is unique.
However, this naturally leads to the next obvious question:
How can I possibly manage (remember) all these unique passwords for every single account?
Quick answer: Talk to the team at Computer Clinic who will recommend a management system to suit your needs as we have solutions ready to go. Contact us today on 033909192 or hello@computer-clinic.co.nz to find out how to take back control and secure all those logins.