Keys to password strength: length and complexity
An ideal password is long and has letters, punctuation, symbols, and numbers.
- Whenever possible, use eight characters or more.
- Don't use the same password for everything. Cybercriminals steal passwords on websites with very little security, and then they try to use that same password and user name in more secure environments, such as banking websites.
- Change your passwords often. Set an automatic reminder for yourself to change your passwords on your email, banking, and credit card websites about every three months.
- The greater the variety of characters in your password, the better. However, password hacking software automatically checks for common letter-to-symbol conversions, such as changing "and" to "&" or "to" to "2."
- Use the entire keyboard, not just the letters and characters you use or see most often.
Common password pitfalls to avoid
Cyber criminals use sophisticated tools that can rapidly decipher passwords.
Avoid creating passwords that use:
- Dictionary words in any language.
- Words spelled backwards, common misspellings, and abbreviations.
- Sequences or repeated characters. Examples: 12345678, 222222, abcdefg, or adjacent letters on your keyboard (qwerty).
- Personal information. Your name, birthday, driver's license, passport number, or similar information.
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