It’s a catch-22: If your password or passphrase is easy to remember, then it’s probably not very strong. And if it’s really strong, then you may have trouble remembering it. But don’t worry — there is a method for consistently creating and remembering a passphrase that’s strong enough to protect you from hackers.
Passphrases vs. Passwords
In most cases, a longer password is harder for hackers to crack or steal. Today, many operating systems and applications allow you to create passwords that are 100 characters long or more. This allows you to use a longer passphrase — rather than a shorter password — to protect your account information. A passphrase is a sentence or phrase that consists of several words, upper- and lower-case letters, numbers and special characters (like punctuation).
How to Create a Passphrase You Can Remember
To create a strong and unique passphrase, you can use a fact about yourself or someone you know. For example, I could use the sentence, “My dad was born in 1933 @ 2 PM!” as my passphrase. Some applications won’t allow the blank spaces, so the passphrase can be written as, “Mydadwasbornin1933@2PM!” or “My_dad_was_born_in_1933_@_2_PM!”
If you want a shorter passphrase, you can trim it down by using just the first letter of each word or using text or chat abbreviations, such as, “Mdwbi1933@2PM!” This creates a 14-character passphrase that is easy for me to remember — but difficult for a hacker to crack.
Modifying or Updating Your Passphrase
If you need to change or update your passphrase, you can use a new fact like, “My 1st dog was named Freckles!” You could also slightly alter your existing passphrase or add new information, such as, “My Dad was born in 1933 & is 83 years old!!” Both of these passphrases are lengthy and complex, but still easy to remember.
Keep in mind that passwords and passphrases help protect your personal information on the Internet. The stronger your passphrase is, the more protection it provides. If you’re using a weak password that could be easy to hack, then consider changing to a more complex and secure passphrase today.