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Smart & Easy Software Tips: Smart Security-Strong Passwords
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Smart & Easy Software Tips, Tricks & Techniques
November 2005 - Issue 15, Volume 2
Publisher: Dawn Bjork Buzbee mailto:Dawn@SoftwarePro.com
The Software Pro(R), Certified Microsoft Office Expert
http://www.SoftwarePro.com
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In This Issue: Smart Security-7 Ways to Create Strong Passwords
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To gain access to many important areas, you need a password. Even though passwords are a necessity in our digital lives, many passwords are weak or insecure or too simple to figure out.
In the last issue, we looked at the Top 10 Password Mistakes that can lead to easy access of your computer and data:
http://www.softwarepro.com/archives/november2005-14.htm
As discussed previously, many hackers and intruders enter computer systems simply by guessing passwords or by using dictionaries and mathematical calculations. If a difficult to crack password was the only criteria, you might select a 20-character combination such as: *d9W>z&gY3k7![pS$f8R but would you ever remember this?
In this issue, learn some strategies for creating strong, effective, and easy to remember passwords:
1. Avoid the Obvious. Review the top 10 password mistakes and make sure that your selection doesn't fall into any of these categories. For instance, a password should not be based on any personal information or login ID.
2. Make It Longer. One of the features of a strong password is that it is at least 8 characters in length and it should be a combination of mixed-case letters with the addition of numbers and punctuation where allowed.
3. Vanity Plates. How many times have you been driving behind a car with a vanity plate? Were the characters cryptic but easy to decipher? Have you seen these plates?
CUL8TR (see you later)
LV2XLR8 (love to accelerate)
HAPE2GLF (happy to golf)
Consider an easy to remember phrase that can be expressed without complete words and with a combination of mixed case letters as well as numbers and symbols:
dRkCh0co4me (use a zero in place of the letter O)
1H8!meenPeepL
LvT1meOfff#
Have some fun making up combinations of phrases that have meaning to you but that would not be easy for other people to guess.
4. Song Lyrics. Think of a favorite song lyric, book, or poem. The more obscure your choice, the better. Next, create a password from a combination such as the 1st letter of each word of the phrase. Some hacker dictionaries have common songs and phrases built in, and so, you will want to strengthen your password by adding in other characters or personalizing the song in some way. For instance: "Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer had a very shiny nose," might become r1trNr2Xhavsn
You want to avoid obvious geek phrases, of course, such as "Luke, I am your father" or "Beam me up Scotty."
5. Passphrases. Choose 5 or more random words and string them together to create a nonsense phrase. For greater strength, use a downloadable program such as Diceware that helps you generate word combinations from your throw of multiple dice. More information on this tool can be found at:
http://www.softwarepro.com/resources/tech_resources.htm#passwords
6. Blended Words. String together 3 or more totally unrelated words by breaking apart and re-combining the parts of each word. For instance, combining the words SPOON LIME PUPPY might result in SPOLIPUPP.
7. Annoy Lurkers. Do use a password that can be typed quickly, without having to look at the keyboard. This makes it harder for someone to steal your password by looking at your keyboard (also known as "lurking" or "shoulder surfing"). Do not use keyboard sequences or characters found together such as QWERTY.
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These 7 strategies will enable you to choose and create strong passwords that will help you improve the security of your computer system.
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Please pass this along to others who may appreciate it!
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Dawn Bjork Buzbee
The Software Pro(R)
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