What is the Best Way to Create a Password?

The most secure passwords use a combination of alphanumeric and non-alphanumeric characters. Many applications support characters such as “&” or “~” in addition to the English alphabet and Arabic number set we are accustomed to using. Additionally, passwords are sometimes case sensitive; to the computer “a” and “A” are two different characters. The more random a password appears, the more difficult it is for someone to guess or for a program to crack using “brute force.” The term brute force is used to describe a method of hacking that sequentially attempts various passwords until it eventually guesses the correct one.

Devise a password that is nearly impossible for someone else to figure out but easy for you to remember. A birth date or the name of your cat would be examples of weak passwords because subtle enquiries from friends, relatives or colleagues will quickly reveal this information to anyone determined to break into your system.

To protect your business and at the same time ensure that passwords are not forgotten, associate passwords with familiar or favourite numbers, names or addresses and use variables of the key identifiers.

For instance, if you use your initials as a primary building block, you can add a series of variables that are easy to remember. Now you need only to remember the variables. By using a base familiar to you, it is possible to build hundreds of passwords that are difficult to crack but not difficult to remember. By way of example:

• Your initials are ABC
• Your work address is 456 Main Street
• Your home address is 123 York Street

By using your initials ABC, a few of the possibilities would be ABC123, 123ABC, ABC456, 456ABC 654CBA, A456BC etc. The beauty of this simple method is that the same characters and letters may be used in a myriad of situations wherein passwords are required without having to remember a completely different and unrelated combination for each application.

This simplified algorithm allows changes to be made on a recurring basis without the need to worry about remembering the specific password. A simple change of familiar base sequence of numbers and letters will reduce the chance of forgetting a string of random numbers or letters that have no associative meaning for you. With this method, if you try one password and it doesn't work you simply enter the limited range of variations until the system opens.