What is the difference between a password and a passphrase? (2024)

FAQs

What is a passphrase password example? ›

A Passphrase can be a viable solution by using abbreviations. Consider the following examples: "Where oh where has my little 1 gone?" This passphrase may be too LONG for many web sites or web services.

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.

The benefit of passphrases is that they make it easier for a user to generate entropy and a lack of order—and thus more security—while still creating a memorable credential. Generating entropy through randomized characters can be difficult, but this also makes it more difficult to launch a cyberattack against you.

A passphrase is more secure…

Generally, the more randomness is contained in a password, the harder it is to crack the password. This is why longer passwords are favored, because they presumably contain more “randomness.”

We recommend that you use passphrases, as they are longer yet easier to remember than a password of random, mixed characters. A passphrase is a memorized phrase consisting of a sequence of mixed words with or without spaces. Your passphrase should be at least 4 words and 15 characters in length.

A good passphrase should have at least 15, preferably 20 characters and be difficult to guess. It should contain upper case letters, lower case letters, digits, and preferably at least one punctuation character. No part of it should be derivable from personal information about the user or his/her family.

Definition(s): A passphrase is a memorized secret consisting of a sequence of words or other text that a claimant uses to authenticate their identity. A passphrase is similar to a password in usage, but is generally longer for added security. A password used to protect an identity key.

Passphrases are superior to the traditional “complex” password because of a powerful combination of benefits: they are easy to remember, but very difficult for humans or computers to guess. That's why they're NIST-recommended for advanced security.

From a safety standpoint, passkeys are much more secure than passwords for a number of reasons. They provide individual authentication for every user to every application — each challenge sent by the server is a new challenge, making the encryption different every time.

Is a 4 word passphrase secure? ›

Hypothetically speaking, passphrases consisting of 4 to 5 random words are secure. But so are the 15+ characters length random passwords. That means a complex passphrase and a complex password are both safe to use.

Weak passwords can be cracked in seconds. The longer and more unusual your password is, the harder it is for a cyber criminal to crack. A good way to make your password difficult to crack is by combining three random words to create a single password (for example applenemobiro).

A passphrase is a memorized phrase consisting of a sequence of mixed words with or without spaces. Your passphrase should be at least 4 words and 15 characters in length.

$ ssh-keygen -p -f ~/. ssh/id_ed25519 > Enter old passphrase: [Type old passphrase] > Key has comment 'your_email@example.com' > Enter new passphrase (empty for no passphrase): [Type new passphrase] > Enter same passphrase again: [Repeat the new passphrase] > Your identification has been saved with the new passphrase.

Passwords usually contain a combination of special characters, letters, and numbers with variable lengths. Most are around 10 characters. A passphrase is basically a longer password, usually at least 14 characters in length, with spaces between words.

In general, passphrases should be as long as possible while still being easy-to-remember. Using a long, uncommon phrase of 32 characters or more that is memorable for you, personally, is a great way to do this -- and it eliminates the need for most complexity requirements.

Where is passphrase stored? ›

Passphrases are not stored on the device

Unlike a PIN, which is changeable, protects your physical device from unauthorized access, and is stored on the chip, the passphrase protects your recovery seed and is not stored anywhere.

A passphrase is a word or phrase that protects private key files. It prevents unauthorized users from encrypting them. Usually it's just the secret encryption/decryption key used for Ciphers. To change the passphrase you simply have to read it with the old pass-phrase and write it again, specifying the new pass-phrase.

In general, passphrases should be as long as possible while still being easy-to-remember. Using a long, uncommon phrase of 32 characters or more that is memorable for you, personally, is a great way to do this -- and it eliminates the need for most complexity requirements.

Passphrases are easier to remember than passwords. A random collection of numbers and symbols can be difficult to keep track of, which can mean that users often make it simpler to remember them. A passphrase is usually not as hard to remember. Passphrases are difficult to crack through brute force.