Picking a password is one of those things that absolutely everyone has to do eventually, though many passwords aren't very secure due to decisions in selection and upkeep. Regardless of whether the password is for a social networking website, an online seller, or simply just your email, all of your passwords must be kept as securely as possible in order to protect your assets and your identity.
Listed below are some methods to help you ensure that your passwords are secure:
* The ideal password size is between ten and fifteen characters long. This is generally short enough for you to remember but long enough to discourage a brute force attack (a common type of a password cracking attempt).
* Avoid passwords that are very easily guessed due to their association with you. Your name and the names of anyone in your family, for example, can be very easy passwords to crack. Additional quickly guessed passwords include names of pets or important dates including anniversaries and birthdays.
* Also avoid using any passwords which are actual words which can be found in the dictionary. There are actually many programs that try to use every word in the dictionary as a password. These kinds of programs also frequently try to add random numbers to a given word (such as turning "kitty" into "kitty2") or to spell words backwards, so those possibilities shouldn't be used as passwords.
* The strongest passwords are usually alphanumeric combinations (sequences of numbers and letters) that are not composed of actual words but instead are made of syllables that you can easily remember mixed with numbers. Using a mixture of capital and lowercase letters will also help ensure a secure password. Ideally, this combination is also pronounceable, rather than a random string of letters and numbers, as the pronounceable password will likely be easier for you to remember. For example, a password such as "vgie38hA" is very secure but not very memorable, while "Soe6bam" can be repeated to yourself out loud and therefore remembered much more easily.
* Passwords which contain obvious sequences may take a bit longer to crack, however they're by no means secure. "123456" or "abcdefg" are easily recognizable patterns that will almost certainly be attempted by absolutely everyone trying to guess your password, as are patterns based on keyboard layout like "qwerty" or "zaq1xsw2" (analyze the left side of your keyboard for the latter example).
* Use a different password for every occasion. Choosing to use exactly the same password for everything is regrettably common and very unsafe. Once the password is known to work for one use, it will be tried for all other applications. Using a different password every time prevents the loss of all security in the case that one password is compromised.
* Change your passwords frequently. The longer you keep the exact same password, the greater the chance that it can be compromised. Altering your passwords every six months or so helps to ensure that your passwords are secure even if they have already been discovered and simply never used.
* You may need to write your password down in the event you can't remember it. If this would be the case, don't leave the written copy of your password anywhere that's immediately obvious such as your desk or your wallet. One option is to lock it up somewhere (such as a filing cabinet, lock-box, or other secure container) for that you have the one key. Another possible method is to write the password down on the edge of a page in a favorite book - avoid writing it down on a bookmark placed in a book, however, are these are easy for you to lose and for an intruder to find.
* Never give your password to anyone. The best password is one that you, and only you, know. No one else needs to know you password - not your spouse, your family members, your buddies, or your co-workers. Your system administrator doesn't need to know your password, since that person really should be able to reset your password in case of emergency anyway.
