Passwords

What makes a good password?

  • Longer passwords are better (ideally 16 characters in length)
  • Contains a combination of numbers, symbols, uppercase letters, lowercase letters
  • Does NOT have dictionary words, obvious number sequences (12345), letter sequences (ABCDEFG), or repetition (12121212)

How to create secure passwords

  1. Create a system: As an example, create a phrase such as “Canada turns 150 years old in July 2017!”. Take the initials of each word, number, and symbol to create a password: Ct150yoiJ2017!
  2. Password generators - some examples include: 
    LastPass
    Dashlane
  3. Use two-step verification: Any time “two-step verification” is offered, use it.   

How to keep track of passwords

Best practices for using passwords means you must have a unique password for every service or tool you use. 

Password Managers can help – some examples include: 

Typically, these programs use a desktop program or app to manage the passwords with a browser extension that auto-logs you into your accounts. You still have to memorize your ‘master’ password, and you still need to create strong passwords. 

More information:

Good Passwords (University of California San Francisco)