Password security must be improved. The world of cybercrime is evolving, and hackers are finding new ways to hack nearly anything, whether it be a social media account or a bank account. For this reason, it’s wise to improve your cyber security any way you can. Many experts suggest using a two-factor authentication system to make your accounts more secure and difficult to breach, but one of the simplest ways of improving security is to improve your password. But what’s the best way to create a complex, secure password? It might actually be a passphrase instead.
Differences Between a Password and a Passphrase
You’re probably familiar with passwords. If you’re concerned about password security, your password will be at least 7 characters including a few numbers, special characters, and a mix of capital and lowercase letters.A passphrase, on the other hand, is, as the name suggests, a much longer phrase and can be as much as 40 characters or more. Instead of a shorter password, a passphrase is typically a memorable sentence. Instead of relying on a mix of different character types, a passphrase is secure more because of its length. More characters means a greater difficulty for hackers using brute force attacks to breach accounts.
Advantages of a Passphrase
There are a few reasons why many are adopting passphrases:
- Passphrases can be easier to remember compared to a combination of random letters and symbols. Password security, meanwhile, can be difficult due to its complexity.
- Many major systems will allow you to use complex passphrases.
- A passphrase will often fulfill the criteria required for a regular password, though you may be required to add special characters as well.
- Passphrases can be a phrase that only you know or hold dear to you, which will be difficult for a third party to decipher.
- You can also use symbols in a passphrase.
Conclusion
All in all, it is quite apparent that for most password security, a passphrase has its advantages. However, if you require security for something as simple as a social media account a normal password is also effective.
If you’re looking for other ways to enhance security at your organization, contact DataLocker to discuss their line of encryption solutions.