Passwords are your first line of defense against unauthorized access. Despite years of security warnings, '123456' and 'password' remain the most common passwords globally. Here's how to do it right.
What Makes a Password Strong?
- At least 16 characters long
- Mix of uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and symbols
- No dictionary words or personal info
- Unique — never reused across sites
- Random — not a predictable pattern
How Long to Crack a Password?
An 8-character password with letters and numbers can be cracked in minutes with modern hardware. A 16-character random password with all character types would take billions of years to brute-force.
Use a Password Manager
The only practical way to use unique, strong passwords for every site is with a password manager. Tools like Bitwarden (free, open source), 1Password, or Dashlane generate and store passwords securely.
Enable Two-Factor Authentication
Even with strong passwords, enable 2FA wherever possible. A compromised password alone is not enough to breach your account with 2FA enabled.