Don’t pass on strong passwords

September 6, 2019

Passwords! What a headache, am I right? Sometimes it seems like that in order to be safe, your password must contain letters, numbers, punctuation, bird noises, and at least one Egyptian hieroglyph.

But the truth is that it’s easier to create a long, strong, safe password than most people think. Let’s take a quick look at a few tips for making a password that will keep your account safe.

  1. Use a passphrase instead of a password. Passphrases, or sentences, will always be longer than a single word (which is good, because government advice now suggests that passwords be anywhere from eight to 64 letters long!) and they stick in your mind better, because they have more meaning.
  2. Make sure it’s something you can remember without writing down. If you do have to write down your password, make sure to protect that paper really carefully — like locking it in a desk drawer or safe.
  3. Check your password strength online. Lastpass offers a free password strength checker available: https://lastpass.com/howsecure.php
  4. Use a password manager. Cnet offers an in-depth look at the best for 2019: https://www.cnet.com/news/the-best-password-managers-of-2019/

Also, check out our infographic on shaking up your passphrase protocol and pick up a few good tips on creating and protecting strong passwords. ->

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