How To Choose A Strong Password | Online Security | Netsafe

Password versus passphrase

A password is a word or a series of letters, numbers and symbols such as ‘yourname123!’.

A passphrase is longer than a password and may have spaces in between words such as ‘Panda orange Spain boat’.

A passphrase can also have symbols, and doesn’t need to be proper sentence. The main difference is that a passphrase is much longer.

So, why use a passphrase in place of a regular password?

Passphrases are easier to remember than random symbols and letters
Passwords can be easier to guess or crack by both human and robots
Passphrases are much harder to crack than passwords

How do you select a strong password?

The stranger your password is the easier it is for you to remember! Some ideas to think about include:

An easy to remember acronym.
A combination of three or more unrelated words incorporating numbers.
Lyrics from a song you’ll easily remember.
A silly yet easy to remember phrase such as BananasPlayDiscoUnderTriangleSuns.
Using a combination of words from different languages if you’re multilingual.

How long is a strong password?

Choose a password/passphrase that isn’t too short and has a combination of upper and lower case and symbols. The longer your password is the more difficult it is for someone else to guess.

What to avoid

Avoid using standard dictionary words or the name of a child, pet or sports team or something that will be easily guessed.

You should also avoid using the password storage options offered by web browser, as they are frequently targeted by hackers. Web browsers are targeted by hackers because if they can compromise the browser they can get access to the passwords you have stored in the browser.

Some of the most commonly used passwords

Password
123456
12345678
1234
qwerty

When should I use a password manager?

Sometimes you won’t have a choice about the length of the password you use as it will be determined by the system or programme you use. In this case a password manager may help you. Password managers can generate and remember the passwords for you.

How do I set passwords on my device?

Android

For Android you can set a personal identification number (PIN) or an alpha-numeric password by following these instructions:

Go to ‘Settings’
Click ‘Security’
Go to ‘Change Screen Lock’ (the phase will vary on each phone)
Once you set your security option, decide on when you want the phone to lock itself.