OT: passwords and passphrases

[Richard Kreiss]

There has been a lot of discussion regarding passwords both in the news and online.

I have been suggesting to my clients and friends that they move from a simple password to a passphrase.  Something that is easy for to remember but would be difficult to discover.  Caps, numbers and graphic characters will make it more difficult to break.

I usually suggest that the use an old address for a friend or relative i.e. 12345 at Mainstreet or with a name or initials of that person and the address  Mary at 12345MainStreet.  It could even be a pet's name at that address.

Just use something that is not easily searched on the internet.

Also I advise use different passwords/phrases for different accounts.

You can write down reminders in a form that you would know put if found would be difficult to figure out.  Pet living at address or pet at nnnn (be consistent as to what nnnn represents).

These may seem logical to us, put to my clients and friends, these suggestions revolutionary.  Long easy to remember passwords.

I do know that there are programs out there to store login and password information for various sites so you don't have to remember them.  But one still needs a strong password/phrase.


Richard Kreiss
GCC Consulting

Office: 410-653-2813