Password Creation Tips
For top security in 2025, every password should be at least 16 characters long. It takes millions of years for hacker software to crack a 16-character password, even if it is only letters.
RECIPE FOR STRONG PASSWORD:
- Unique to the account – only use a password once!
- 16 characters or longer!
- Random mix of letters, numbers, and symbols.
Complex, random passwords are fantastic, but they need to be long.
Password Managers
Password Managers are an excellent way to keep all your accounts manageable and unique in every way. High-quality password managers are the safest way to store your passwords and ensure that you use strong, unique passwords for each of your many accounts.
But there are many misconceptions about password managers floating around, but we’ll help you separate fact from fiction. Password managers are not like putting all your eggs in one basket, because baskets don’t have MFA or zero knowledge architecture.
| MYTH | REALITY |
| Don’t use a password manager because all your passwords are compromised if it gets hacked. | Because of the technology password managers use, the company doesn’t even know your master password. So make it a long and unique password! And when you turn on MFA on your password manager, it’s even more secure. Even when a password manager company gets hacked, cybercriminals can’t access your passwords. |
| My spreadsheet/notes app/notebook is safer than a password manager. | No other method of storing passwords is as safe as a password manager because of their encryption. Physical notebooks and sticky notes can be lost, damaged, or stolen. Password managers also let you create long, complex, and unique passwords easily for every online account. With other methods, you’ll likely reuse passwords or depend on short, less random ones. |
| Password managers are expensive and hard to use. | The leading brands of password managers all have free versions, and they have the same security features as the paid versions. Once you start using a password manager as a web browser extension, you’ll see how simple they are to incorporate into your web surfing. |
| My workplace won’t let me use a password manager. | Many workplaces use password managers now -- ask your security or IT team what they recommend. Even if your workplace doesn’t have a password manager, you should definitely use one for your personal accounts. |