Choosing Strong Passwords
What is a Passphrase?
A passphrase is like a password. But it’s longer and more secure. In simple terms, a passphrase is a password made up of a sentence or a combination of words. It often contains spaces in between and is easy to remember but hard for others to guess.
Why use a Passphrase?
The main reason to use a passphrase is to keep your online accounts safe. Because they’re longer and contain more characters than a typical password, a passphrase is harder to crack. It’s also easier to remember a phrase than a random string of characters, numbers, and symbols.
How to create a secure passphrase.
Make it long
The longer your passphrase, the more secure it is. Aim for at least 12 characters.
Use a mix of characters
Use a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. This makes your passphrase harder to guess.
Avoid personal information
Don’t use easily available information like your name, birth date, or common words. These can be easily guessed by someone who knows you or by a computer program.
Make it memorable
Use a phrase that is easy for you to remember but hard for others to guess. It could be a line from a song, a quote from a movie, or a favorite saying.
Change it occasionally
Change your passphrase every so often. This helps keep your accounts secure even if someone does guess your passphrase. It can be helpful to set an event or reminder in your calendar once each 6-12 months.
Remember, the goal is to create a passphrase that is hard to crack but easy for you to remember. So, get creative, mix it up, and keep your online accounts safe and secure!