Secure But Easy to Remember Password Generator

How to Create a Secure Password?

Password Phishing:

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Responsible industries will NOT use email to ask for personal information, especially user name and password.

  Any phone call or email requesting for your user name and password are SCAMS!

Why Complex Passwords?

  

Keeping passwords secure is critical.

          

A good password is at least eight characters long, uses numbers and special characters, and has no obvious relevance to the end user.

·       No password is secure, no matter how long or how complex, if it is listed on a sticky note stuck to the user’s computer monitor. This may seem obvious, but it is not at all uncommon to go into an office and find a password either on the monitor or in the top drawer of the desk. Every janitor or anyone who simply passes by the office can get that password.

Time to (brute force) crack passwords:

Creating Strong Passwords:

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Start with a phrase

Phrase: my windows password was changed in quarter one 2019

   Extract the 1stletter of every word to form the password, with the following twist

o  Capitalize 1 or more letter(s)

o  Insert a symbol within the password

Phrase: my windows password was changed in quarter one 2019

mwPwciq#one19

·       Just changed the variable part when system prompt for password change

o  E.g. in quarter two:  mwPwciq#two19

·       Can be used on another system to achieve unique password

o  E.g. for HR system: mhPwciq#one19

·       Come 2019, change “18” to “19”!

Two-Factor Authentication:

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Two-factor verification is a security component that requires two sorts of accreditation for confirmation and is intended to give an extra layer of approval, limiting security ruptures.

·       Two-factor verification works with two separate security or approval instruments. Normally, one is a physical approval token, and one is a consistent code or secret phrase. Both must be approved before getting to a verified administration or item.

How to protect yourself?

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Think length then complexity

o  At least 12-15 characters.

o  If shorter than this, use complex password.

o  Best is to be long and complex.

     Don’t Bunch Up Your Special Characters

o  Most people put capital letters at the beginning and digits and symbols at the end. If you do that, you get very little benefit from adding these special characters.

      Unique passwords for different systems.

      Create password from a phrase.

      Use 2FA if available.

      Use Master Password Apps.

1Password, KeePass, LastPass, Dashlane.