What the Tech: Perfect passwords
How fast can your password be hacked? For many, it's a matter of seconds. While password managers and two-factor authentication are valuable tools, there's a simple, yet incredibly effective way to create strong passwords that are both secure and memorable. Forget paying for extra apps or services. I've discovered a clever technique to generate unique, robust passwords for every single account you have, using something you already love: your favorite music.
Creating a genuinely strong password can seem daunting. Cybersecurity experts recommend at least 14 characters, a mix of upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols, and a unique password for each account. But how do you manage all that without getting overwhelmed or resorting to weak, easily guessable passwords?
Here's the trick: start with the titles of two of your favorite songs. Let's say you're a fan of Bruce Springsteen and choose 'Racing in the Streets' and 'Darkness on the Edge of Town.' Capitalize the first letter of each major word in the titles. This gives you 'DOTEOTRITS.'
Next, add a symbol somewhere within this sequence and change the function words (like 'on,' 'in,' 'the') to lowercase. Now, let's incorporate numbers by substituting the letter 'O's' with zeros. This modified string is already a strong password, but we're going to make it even better.
To make this password unique to each account, add the first letter of the account name to the beginning and the last letter to the end. For Facebook, it would become 'FDOTE0n the EdgE0f Racing in The StreetS.' For Google, it would be 'GE.' For LinkedIn, it's 'LN.' You can apply this same method to your bank account, email, or any other online service.
The beauty of this method is its simplicity and memorability. All you need to recall are the two song titles. After a short while, you won't even have to think about it; the pattern will become ingrained. This type of password can take a standard computer 31 years to crack. Adding just one number to the beginning could extend that cracking time to centuries!
You can bypass the expense of a password manager and easily remember your passwords even if you haven't accessed an account in years. It's a simple yet powerful way to enhance your online security.
Want to test the strength of your current passwords? Visit security.org to see how they fare against common hacking methods. Take control of your security today with this easy and effective password strategy!
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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