Thursday, January 21, 2010

How Secure Are Your Passwords?

As we use more and more online services, we use passwords on a regular basis. How hard would it be to 'hack' into one of your accounts?

The New York Times has a great article about password security, "
If Your Password is 123456, Just Make it HackMe".

Is your password on the list of most popular passwords? Or is it something like your initials or first name?
Do you use a combination of letters (upper and lower-case) and numbers in your passwords for extra security?

Some password tips:

Use a random word that you'll remember and substitute numbers and/or symbols for some of the letters.
I attended Boston University which has the viscious Terrier as it's mascot. I could use 't3RR!3r' as a password.

or

My favorite song is "You Picked a Fine Time to Leave me Lucille" (sorry for putting that song in your head). I could create an acronym for this set of lyrics. 'yp@ft2lmL' would be hard to forget but even harder to guess.

Image Attribution:
Image: 'locking nothing'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/53611153@N00/443924168

1 comment:

Emma DW said...

That article said:
To improve security, some Web sites are forcing users to mix letters, numbers and even symbols in their passwords.
I find that frustrating - when it's, say, a forum that I want to join. It can also be frustrating if some site doesn't let you have a symbol - so, you just work out a code you stand some chance of remembering & it falls down on some site or other!

The other annoying type of sites to me are those that demand number/letter/capitalisation or whatever & then go send you an email back saying "WElcome Emma - here's your user name & password!" Doh! I just spent a while deciding it; now I have to decide again! SOmewhat misses the point, I think!