How to choose a secure password - Revision history

Richard: /* Further information */

2018-11-22T16:25:57Z

Further information

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:25, 22 November 2018
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	[[Category:FAQ]]		[[Category:FAQ]]
	[[Category:User Account]]		[[Category:User Account]]

			== How to change my password ==

			Please consult this dedicated page [[How to change my password]]

Richard at 11:07, 29 May 2015

2015-05-29T11:07:11Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:07, 29 May 2015
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	:http://www.lockdown.co.uk/?pg=password_guide		:http://www.lockdown.co.uk/?pg=password_guide

	[[Category:KB]]		[[Category:FAQ]]
			[[Category:User Account]]

Richard: Richard moved page Choosing a secure password to How to choose a secure password

2015-05-29T11:06:45Z

Richard moved page Choosing a secure password to How to choose a secure password

← Older revision	Revision as of 11:06, 29 May 2015
(No difference)

Richard at 10:12, 29 May 2015

2015-05-29T10:12:55Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:12, 29 May 2015
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	* Lockdown Password Guide		* Lockdown Password Guide
	:http://www.lockdown.co.uk/?pg=password_guide		:http://www.lockdown.co.uk/?pg=password_guide

			[[Category:KB]]

John: /* Choosing a secure password */ Add more characters to example

2014-03-04T16:15:02Z

Choosing a secure password: Add more characters to example

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:15, 4 March 2014
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	== Choosing a secure password ==		== Choosing a secure password ==

	* Choose the first letter (or sound) from a memorable phrase or line from a song. So "I'm Jumping Jack Flash and it's a gas" could become "IJJFaiag" or even "I'JJF&~~i'ag~~".		* Choose the first letter (or sound) from a memorable phrase or line from a song. So "I'm Jumping Jack Flash and it's a gas" could become "IJJFaiag" or even "I'JJF,&isag".

	* Length is not the most important thing, but 8 characters is a usual minimum for most systems.		* Length is not the most important thing, but 8 characters is a usual minimum for most systems.

John: /* Ways of choosing a good password */ Change title

2014-03-04T16:13:34Z

Ways of choosing a good password: Change title

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:13, 4 March 2014
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	You don't need a different secure password for everything, but you should have a secure password for anything involving money (eg. bank or online retailers) or anything that could be used to confirm your identical or receive sensitive documents (eg. your email account).		You don't need a different secure password for everything, but you should have a secure password for anything involving money (eg. bank or online retailers) or anything that could be used to confirm your identical or receive sensitive documents (eg. your email account).

	== ~~Ways of choosing~~ a ~~good~~ password ==		== Choosing a secure password ==

	* Choose the first letter (or sound) from a memorable phrase or line from a song. So "I'm Jumping Jack Flash and it's a gas" could become "IJJFaiag" or even "I'JJF&i'ag".		* Choose the first letter (or sound) from a memorable phrase or line from a song. So "I'm Jumping Jack Flash and it's a gas" could become "IJJFaiag" or even "I'JJF&i'ag".

John: Add reason for not reusing password

2014-03-04T13:42:20Z

Add reason for not reusing password

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:42, 4 March 2014
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	You don't need a different secure password for everything, but you should have a secure password for anything involving money (eg. bank or online retailers) or anything that could be used to confirm your identical or receive sensitive documents (eg. your email account).		You don't need a different secure password for everything, but you should have a secure password for anything involving money (eg. bank or online retailers) or anything that could be used to confirm your identical or receive sensitive documents (eg. your email account).


	== Ways of choosing a good password ==		== Ways of choosing a good password ==

	* Choose the first letter (or sound) from a memorable phrase or line from a song. So "I'm Jumping Jack Flash and it's a gas" could become "IJJFaiag" or "~~IJJF~~&i'ag".		* Choose the first letter (or sound) from a memorable phrase or line from a song. So "I'm Jumping Jack Flash and it's a gas" could become "IJJFaiag" or even "I'JJF&i'ag".

	* Length is not the most important thing, but 8 characters is a usual minimum for most systems.		* Length is not the most important thing, but 8 characters is a usual minimum for most systems.
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	* Writing down a password is not itself insecure, as long as it is held securely. Example is a sealed envelope (which you do not reseal once opened) in a secure place (eg lock drawer or data safe). Sticking it on your monitor, keyboard or desk is not safe.		* Writing down a password is not itself insecure, as long as it is held securely. Example is a sealed envelope (which you do not reseal once opened) in a secure place (eg lock drawer or data safe). Sticking it on your monitor, keyboard or desk is not safe.

	* Don't reuse a password for an important system (eg. bank or email) for anything else. ~~Reusing~~ ~~passwords~~ for ~~less~~ ~~important~~ ~~sites~~ ~~(eg.~~ a ~~web~~ ~~forum)~~ is ~~not~~ so ~~bad~~.		* Don't reuse a password for an important system (eg. bank or email) for anything else. This is if your password for only one system is know then the damage is limited, but if someone has access to everything you use then the damage will be much larger and harder to fix.

	== Some myths ==		== Some myths ==

John: /* Introduction */ Add "Why secure" password

2014-03-04T13:31:25Z

Introduction: Add "Why secure" password

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	We all hate having to remember passwords. So why are they used? Mainly because they are cheap and can be changed quickly, and the alternatives such as secure tokens or biometric information are expensive and hard to use.		We all hate having to remember passwords. So why are they used? Mainly because they are cheap and can be changed quickly, and the alternatives such as secure tokens or biometric information are expensive and hard to use.

			=== Why secure? ===

			You don't need a different secure password for everything, but you should have a secure password for anything involving money (eg. bank or online retailers) or anything that could be used to confirm your identical or receive sensitive documents (eg. your email account).

	== Ways of choosing a good password ==		== Ways of choosing a good password ==

John: /* Some myths */ Fix 3rd myth

2014-03-04T13:07:31Z

Some myths: Fix 3rd myth

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:07, 4 March 2014
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	* "Should I change my password every 3 months?"		* "Should I change my password every 3 months?"
	: It's a common practise at some companies to force people to change their password every 3 months. This can protect against long-term professionally targetted attacks on that particular company. It does nothing to protect against ~~quick~~ attacks. And by forcing people to learn a new password often it can lead to poor choices because the password change has to be quickly made.		: Not really. It's a common practise at some companies to force people to change their password every 3 months. This can protect against long-term professionally targetted attacks on that particular company but it does nothing to protect against random attacks. And by forcing people to learn a new password often it can lead to poor choices because the password change has to be quickly made.

	== Further information ==		== Further information ==

John: /* Some myths */ Add a couple more myths

2014-03-04T13:06:45Z

Some myths: Add a couple more myths

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:06, 4 March 2014
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	== Some myths ==		== Some myths ==

	* "Why would anyone to steal my password?"		* "Why would anyone want to steal my password?"
	:An attacker may not be interested in you personally, but is trying to gain access to millions of accounts at a time. If your password is one of the easy ones then it will be guessed first and cracked. If it is a secure one then it will usually be ignored as being too much trouble.		: An attacker may not be interested in you personally, but is trying to gain access to millions of accounts at a time. If your password is one of the easy ones then it will be guessed first and cracked. If it is a secure one then it will usually be ignored as being too much trouble.

			* "But how can they guess my password?"
			: An attacker does not try to guess. They run a program that tries millions of different passwords a second. These are based on the most common passwords that people use, which is why you need to avoid using simple passwords.

			* "Should I change my password every 3 months?"
			: It's a common practise at some companies to force people to change their password every 3 months. This can protect against long-term professionally targetted attacks on that particular company. It does nothing to protect against quick attacks. And by forcing people to learn a new password often it can lead to poor choices because the password change has to be quickly made.

	== Further information ==		== Further information ==