As part of your computing lessons you will need to create a password to log in to your account.
In this tutorial we will show you how to construct a strong password that can be remembered and discuss how to keep passwords and accounts safe.
Constructing a strong password
What do we mean by a strong password?
A strong password is a password that contains certain elements so that it is not easily guessed, hacked or similar to other peoples passwords. To make it strong we should ideally include:
- Capital letters and lowercase letters
- Numbers
- Special characters for example !ӣ$%^&*@#
We should try and make a password as hard to guess as possible, but not so hard that it is impossible for us to remember!
An excellent way to do this is to choose 2 random words and insert a number in the middle and add some special characters and capital letters. For example:
Table24Monitor38#
Why is this a good password?
This passphrase contains capital letters, lowercase letters, numbers and special characters and would be hard for someone to guess or hack. It’s also fairly long which makes it much more difficult for people to crack.
Keeping passwords safe
It’s really important that passwords are kept safe and secure.
What could happen if someone found out your password?
If someone found out your password they could login to your account and do everything as if they were you. They could:
- Send nasty emails using your account
- Delete all your work
- Go on inappropriate websites as you
Who’s responsibility is it to keep passwords secure?
It’s your responsibility to keep your password secure.
Don’t
- Write your password down – someone could find it
- Read your password out loud – someone could hear it
- Tell other people your password – someone could use your account
Do
- Change your password regularly – just in case
- Make your password strong – this makes it harder for people to guess
- Change your password if you think someone else knows it
What to do if someone else knows your password
If you think that someone else knows your password you should change it as soon as you can. Your account is personal to you and it shouldn’t be shared with others.
