What passwords should I use?

December 15th, 2010 Paul Wallbank Posted in Internet, security | No Comments »

I’ve seen the Gawker website has given away over a hundred thousand user passwords. Should I trust passwords to these sites?

Passwords are a difficult issue and given we are required to use them for many purposes – from adding comment on websites like Gawker through to accessing our work computers and bank accounts – we need to be careful with how we use them.

It’s best to take a layered approach to passwords with a complex password for your critical accounts, a mildly difficult one for sensitive sites and a “disposable” one for sites that don’t really matter.

Disposable sites
These are sites like Gawker that don’t really matter. If you have to create a password protected account to make a comment or access a page, something trivial like 123456 is fine.

Just keep in mind it’s probably best not to use your real name on the account unless you’re happy for some idiot to post blog comments under your name.

Sensitive sites
If you aren’t posting anonymously, then you should treat the site a little more carefully. Sensitive sites include sites where you are logged in under your own name and services like Gmail, Yahoo! Mail and social media platforms where you would be embarrassed should your account be hacked.

These sites should have stronger passwords which have a combination of words and numbers.

Critical sites
Sites considered critical and those which would have serious consequences should they be compromised. These include your bank accounts, work computer and administrative accounts for business activities.

These should be a strong combination of words, letters and symbols mixed with upper and lower case changes.

Password Ideas
Here are some ways you can develop stronger passwords;

  • Use your street number, followed by suburb or street name, followed by post code. For instance 700Harris2007.
  • Choose the date and location of your last, or next, holiday. Eg; 25May03Surfers
  • Use your grandmother maiden initials followed by her birthyear, followed by your mothers maiden initials and her birthyear followed by yours (e.g. db21ds43sw66).
  • You could substitute numbers for letters. You substitute 3 for e, 0 or o, 1 for i or l, etc. So the password Doris becomes D0r1s.
  • Another technique is to use a phrase or rhyme you’ll remember. It could be the initials of your school motto with the year you left. You could use years your football team won the premiership and initials of the captains.

There are all sorts of possibilities. Be creative, and keep in mind you have to remember them.

The most secure way is to use a randomly generated password. We’ve put some links to password generating sites below. But be warned, you have to remember them!

Once you’ve created a strong password you’ll need to save it somewhere. Remember that the secure passwords are very valuable and should be treated accordingly.


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