Creating Strong Passwords

• No dictionary words - hackers may run word databases to crack passwords
• Make it complex by using numbers, symbols, uppercase and lowercase letters
• Length should be 8 characters minimum
• Use a different password for each website you visit

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How to create a strong password video transcript:

We use passwords for many different websites. And if you're like most people your password has been hacked at least once. And if you use the same password for other websites all someone needs is your web browsing history & then pretty soon your online banking account could be targeted next.

If you're wondering how secure your password is, howsecureismypassword.net is a great tool to show how fast your password can be hacked.

These Quick Tips are about how to create strong easy to remember passwords for each website.

There are many different techniques ranging from exchanging some letters for numbers and symbols to using math.

But my favorite way is to abbreviate your own unique sentence.

Start with a sentence that is easy for you to remember. Like I might say: I was born in San Francisco in 1972.

Take the first letter of each word and create an abbreviation. IwbiSFi1972. Or how about Quick Tips are fun to watch! Becomes QTaftw! The great thing about using a sentence for this is you always have at least one Uppercase letter, lowercase letters, and a symbol. Add your favorite number to get all your bases covered. And you have an easy to remember, strong password.

You can do this technique with any phrase! Ycdttwap! 3 See?

Okay but what about using a different password for each website?

Well, all you need to do is take the name of the website, let's use Twitter for example, and add that abbreviation to the front, end, or my favorite place, right before the number.

So my original password becomes IwbiSFi1972.T3 And my Google password would look like this IwbiSFi1972.G3 And my Bank of America and so on.

So in review 1) Use a sentence you will never forget to be your base password (This is my base password.) and abbreviate it. 2) Then abbreviate the name of the website you are registering an account with, and add it to the end of your base password 3) And finally add your favorite number (Timbp.G2012).

Now you know how to create easy to remember passwords that are strong and unique.