Creating good and reliable passwords is quite a difficult task for many. It becomes especially intimidating when you start considering unique password for each site you visit. Tens of unique passwords like OEjlkasdf34-absde@! will make anyone feel a bit perplexed and gloomy.

A typical response to this problem will be simple and insecure. A user will use one password for all services and resources, or will create several equally simple (to remember) and unreliable passwords. Or there will be some sticker with passwords brightly hidden beneath the keyboard.

Looks like there is a collision between strong passwords you can not remember and weak passwords you can remember but can not use if you want to avoid unauthorized access to your data. First let’s see what a strong (and weak) password is.

Strong vs Weak Password

A strong password will have sufficient length, use various upper and lower case letters with numbers and symbols. It will not contain dictionary words or ties to your personal information.

Passwords like MyPassword1 might look ok considering above advise but they are not. Word password and any other dictionary word is not a good idea for password.

Anna1989:& does contain upper and lower case, as well as numbers and symbols, but it seriously flawed. Name and year of birth can be easily discovered from open sources and they will be, in case a hacker needs your data.

C0ntekst* is a bit more secure, as it has letter o substituted for number 0, and there is a deliberate error in spelling. Yet, it’s too short unfortunately. It will not take too much time for code-breaking software to guess it.

What shall I do?

Luckily, there are several easy to use and efficient tricks you can use to create strong password which will not force you enroll for memory improvement trainings.

Phrases with Personally Valuable Information

Think of something you are unlikely to forget and build a password on its basis. The2o12’sTripT0Pariswas0key is not that difficult to remember but is truly difficult to crack.

Acronyms or shortcut codes

EksEksEksElIz0key4MaiFriend: XXXL is ok for my friend. Spelling errors, numbers instead of letters and words, easy to recall information. Good example, still you can easily make it even better. Just think about using:

Smileys

Let’s take our example based on our friend’s anthropometry and add some emotion: EksEksEksElIz0key4MaiFriend:-). It’s always good to have a big friend. One of the benefits is when you are glad it makes your passwords even stronger and you will not forget in what way 🙂

Surely, there are many more efficient techniques to build strong passwords. But you don’t have to use them all to make your passwords strong and easy to remember. Just master those listed above and always remember: mix numbers and letters, upper and lower cases, add symbols, make errors and KEEP THEM LONG!