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Strong passwords and secure accounts
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Your accounts hold your messages, photos and games. A strong password and an extra login step keep other people out.
What makes a password strong
A strong password is long and hard to guess.
Weak passwords use names, birthdays, pet names, 'password' or patterns like 123456.
The UK's National Cyber Security Centre suggests using three random words, such as LemonCloudBicycle. They are long, but easy for you to remember.
Weak passwords use names, birthdays, pet names, 'password' or patterns like 123456.
The UK's National Cyber Security Centre suggests using three random words, such as LemonCloudBicycle. They are long, but easy for you to remember.
Good habits
Use a different password for each important account. If one site is hacked, the others stay safe.
Never share your password, even with friends.
Turn on two-step verification (2SV): after your password, you also enter a code sent to your phone or app. A stolen password alone is then not enough.
A password manager can store your passwords safely.
Never share your password, even with friends.
Turn on two-step verification (2SV): after your password, you also enter a code sent to your phone or app. A stolen password alone is then not enough.
A password manager can store your passwords safely.
Why length matters
Attackers use programs that try every possible combination. This is called a brute force attack.
Each extra character multiplies the number of combinations.
A 4-digit PIN has 10 choices for each digit: 10 × 10 × 10 × 10 = 10,000 combinations. A computer can try them all very quickly.
Each extra character multiplies the number of combinations.
A 4-digit PIN has 10 choices for each digit: 10 × 10 × 10 × 10 = 10,000 combinations. A computer can try them all very quickly.
How many different 3-digit codes are there (000 to 999)?
- Each digit has 10 choices (0 to 9).
- 10 × 10 × 10 = 1000
Answer: 1,000 codes
Use long passwords, such as three random words, a different one for each account, never share them, and turn on two-step verification.
Check you have got it
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