Welcome to your second lesson on Passwords!
The focus of this lesson is to determine how to construct a strong password and what the characteristics of strong and weak passwords
.
What are the variables of a password?
- Length
- Complexity
- Unpredictability
We are going to explore examples of weak vs strong passwords and how attackers use brute force and social engineering to guess simple ones.
What makes a password strong?
A strong password is primarily about length and unpredictability. Aim for at least 12 characters or a 3–4 word passphrase made from unrelated words. Longer passwords increase the number of possible combinations exponentially, making brute-force attacks far less practical.
Complexity (mixing uppercase, lowercase, numbers and symbols) helps, but a long, unpredictable passphrase is often both stronger and easier to remember than a short string of random characters.
Avoid these password Traps!
- Avoid using personal information (names, birthdays)
- Avoid using common words like (“Password”, “Hello”)
- Avoid keyboard sequences such as 123456 or qwerty
- Avoid common substitutions such as (“P@ssword”)
Examples of passwords:
-
Weak:
Password123,qwerty,john1985 -
Fair:
Summer2025!,red-bike-apple-17 -
Strong:
T1mber&H0rse$Sk8,correct horse battery staple,Coffee$Tree4Ocean
The checklist to make a strong password!:
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Use 12+ characters or a 3–4 word passphrase.
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Avoid personal info, common words, and predictable patterns.
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Use a unique password for every account.
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Store passwords in a trusted password manager.
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Enable MFA on email, finance, admin, and other critical services.
Reference: Safety in Canada. (n.d.). How to Create a Strong Password. YouTube