Security: Passphrases & Passwords - GROK Knowledge Base (2024)

FAQs

Security: Passphrases & Passwords - GROK Knowledge Base? ›

A passphrase, as opposed to a password, is a phrase or short combination of words that is easy for the user to remember, and may contain spaces. Passwords are often shorter, do not include spaces, and consist of a random string of characters, or one or two words.

CREATE COMPLEX PASSWORDS

A password made up of lowercase and uppercase letters, as well as numbers and special characters, is more complex than a password of only lowercase letters. You can also think up a phrase and then use the first letters of each word to create a complex password that is more memorable.

The key to a good passphrase is randomness — the words you use to create a passphrase should not have an obvious connection between them. A good passphrase example is overripe-trekker-angular-envision-letter, while a passphrase like apple-peach-banana-cucumber would be much easier to crack.

Choose a memorable quote or phrase and use only the first letter from each word. Vary the capitalization. Also include numbers and symbols, either as substitutions for letters or as a replacement for a full word.

A passphrase is a sentencelike string of words used for authentication that is longer than a traditional password, easy to remember and difficult to crack. Typical passwords range, on average, from eight to 16 characters, while passphrases can reach up to 100 characters or more.

Passphrases are difficult to crack through brute force. Many password-cracking tools work to break down 10-character passwords. Since passphrases are longer, they can be much more secure and safe from these tools. Passwords are easily hacked by password-cracking tools and robots as well as by humans.

In fact, passphrases are so much better at securing accounts that both the FBI and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) officially suggest using passphrases over passwords as length has become much a much more influential factor in password security than just complexity.

A strong passphrase contains a combination of different types of characters, such as uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Still, you can make your passphrase even stronger by following some of the same rules from when you learned how to create a strong password.

To make sure your online accounts are as secure as possible it is recommended to use strong and complex passwords. An example of this could be a 12-character password such as: “i@Qf&6_XUEyC, 7-Sx;G49J$r, m#NZy2P]” and so on.

Why does the NCSC recommend using 'three random words' as a way to create passwords? By using a password that's made up of three random words, you're creating a password that will be 'strong enough' to keep the criminals out, but easy enough for you to remember.

What is an example of a master password? ›

Instead of trying to create a new and complex password, choose a memorable phrase and use the first letter of each word. For example, you could use the phrase, “I love my dog.” and add some numbers and symbols, so the password would look like “Ilmd. 100%” Avoid common words because a common word is easier to crack.

Most passcode rules and security standards allow for the use of passphrases instead of passwords. On the whole, using a passphrase is more secure and offers better peace of mind. In either case, the FBI recommends making passwords or passphrases as long as a system will allow for optimal security.

A strong password is: At least 12 characters long but 14 or more is better. A combination of uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.

Most routers come with the network key written on the back or bottom of the router. It's usually labeled with a different name, such as passcode, password, wireless password, or simply security key. The underside of a router showing the Wi-Fi password (network security key).

Answer. A password is a short character set of mixed digits. A passphrase is a longer string of text that makes up a phrase or sentence.

A passphrase is a sequence of four or more words, with each word in the phrase having four or more letters. Spaces aren't necessary, so you can have a passphrase that looks like table chair book candle or tablechairbookcandle. In function, passphrases are the same as passwords, but they differ in important ways.

Hashing and encryption can keep sensitive data safe, but in almost all circ*mstances, passwords should be hashed, NOT encrypted. Because hashing is a one-way function (i.e., it is impossible to "decrypt" a hash and obtain the original plaintext value), it is the most appropriate approach for password validation.

Passphrases are easier to remember than a random of symbols and letters combined together. It would be easier to remember a phrase from your favorite song or your favorite quotation than to remember a short but complicated password. Passwords are relatively easy to guess or crack by both human and robots.