Page 23 - March-April2021 Vol 38 No 7
P. 23
By Heather Phillips
Creating a Secure Password
The best advice in creating a secure Memorize Your Password by using malicious software on a single
password is to follow or exceed The best way to protect the password is machine. Therefore, password managers
National Institute of Standards and are only as secure as the opening
Technology (NIST) guidelines from to memorize it. Do not write it down, do password.
Special Publication 800-63B. Create not store it in a password manager, and Adding Characters
a password that is no less than 8 do not share it with someone. Password
characters, includes special characters, managers may seem safe because some After the user creates a strong
does not use repetitive characters, does can be encrypted with AES256 bit password, the user can add characters
not include specific names, places, encryption. to the password for individual sites to
or words, and does not use common identify its uniqueness, but relate it to
words. However, when a user uses a password the site with relatable characters that are
manager, they are placing their trust memorable.
A user can create a unique password into the application designers to keep
that is easy to remember by using their information safe. Is the user or For example, the password to amazon
a passphrase instead of random organization willing to take that risk? can be Iltr@TNPW’20!:). See the smiley
characters. The user can create a pass face at the end of the password that
phrase by thinking of a sentence and The designer could update their resembles amazon’s logo? The password
use the first letter of each word to software to cause a security breach to the USPS can be Iltr@TNPW’20!356
create their password. and expose or gather passwords. The if their PO box or house number is 356.
application developer might seem The password to Netflix can be Iltr@
For example, “I like to read reputable. Or, perhaps a guarantee TNPW’20!Wm because the user watches
Tennessee Public Works Magazine in of safety is put in place between the movies. (Wm is for watches movies.) The
2020” would translate to IltrTPWM’20. company and the organization for an new addition to the password can also be
This can be further complicated by enterprise management system, and added to the first of the password as in
substituting special characters to turn the password management software is :)- Iltr@TNPW’20!., 356-Iltr@TNPW’20!
it into Iltr@TNPW’20!. secured with a password. or WM-Iltr@TNPW’20!.
Attackers could compromise security
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