13 Secret Tips to Create a (Nearly) Unbreakable Password

by Tomáš Valouch, updated August 20, 2024

In the digital world, personal information is very valuable, so it’s important to protect it with strong and secure passwords that serve as a key to our online accounts, much like a strong lock protects your house. A password verifies our identity and protects our privacy, and prevents unauthorized access to sensitive information.

Weak passwords are easily cracked by hackers, while strong passwords, made up of a combination of letters, numbers and special characters, provide better protection against cyber attacks.

How to create an unbreakable password?

Today, your online accounts are like the keys to your life. Basically, we can’t do without them, whether it’s an Instagram account or an online banking account. Just as we protect our physical keys, we should also keep our digital ones secure. One of the most important elements of this security is a strong and unique password. But what exactly is a strong password?

Length is key

The longer the password, the better. Passwords should be at least 12 characters long, but ideally more. Long passwords are much harder for hackers to crack, even if they use the latest technology.

• Example of a bad password: ruqzxhpe
• Example of a better but still weak password: ymooljvcwjwdhnqzplmjrkaszsgqjr

A short password is vulnerable to brute force attack. This is a method in which an attacker systematically tests all possible combinations of characters until he finds the correct password, using powerful computers and algorithms. The length of a password fundamentally affects its security; shorter passwords are easier to crack because they have fewer combinations to try.

Avoid personal information

Never use your personal details such as your date of birth, partner’s name, pet’s name or address as a password. Also, information from your username should not appear in your password. If your username is user.name@email.com, then your password should not contain parts of that username. This information is now relatively to easy to find and can be used by hackers to break into your account.

• Example of a bad password: UserName
• Example of a strong password: mfuYjH(Mebsr9*Hh(XhjP2BFl0(bGu

A password made up of personal information is vulnerable to dictionary attack. Hackers use this method to crack passwords by systematically testing passwords from a pre-prepared list of the most common or predictable combinations, often containing common words, phrases, names, and other personal information they can gather using social media. Personal information such as names or dates of birth are particularly vulnerable to these attacks.

Diversity is key

A strong password is not just about length, but also about character variety. Combine upper and lower case letters, numbers and special characters (such as !, @, #, $, %, ^, &). The more different types of characters you use, the more resistant your password will be to attacks.

• Example of a weaker password: ymooljvcwjwdhnqzplmjrkaszsgqjr
• Example of a strong password: mfuYjH(Mebsr9*Hh(XhjP2BFl0(bGu

Using password generators

Password generators are tools that create random and strong passwords made up of letters, numbers and special characters, ensuring that your password is highly secure and strong.

VPN wiki, also allows you to generate a strong and secure password, thanks to its own password generator. When you use the generator, the passwords are much stronger than the ones people come up with on their own, and it also saves you the time you would have spent on coming up with your password.

Mistakes to avoid

Unfortunately, many people still make basic mistakes that can lead to their data being leaked and their security being compromised. Let’s take a look at a few common mistakes to avoid.

Reusing passwords

One of the biggest mistakes is reusing the same passwords across multiple accounts. If an attacker gains access to one of your accounts, they can easily gain access to other accounts that have the same password. Imagine someone obtaining your password on a less secure site and then trying to log into your email or bank account with that password.

The recommendation is simple: use a unique password for each account. Password management apps can help you store and manage these passwords securely.

Writing down passwords in the wrong places

One of the most common mistakes is writing passwords on papers that are easily accessible. Whether it’s a piece of paper on your monitor or a notepad in your desk drawer, these places are not good places to store sensitive information. Anyone with access to your space can easily gain access to your passwords.

Another danger is storing passwords in unsecured digital documents. Storing passwords in files such as text documents or spreadsheets without encryption is just as risky as having them written on paper. These files can easily be compromised by malware or accessed by unauthorised persons.

Using the same password for long periods of time without changing it

Using the same password for long periods of time without changing it is risky. Passwords should be updated regularly to minimize the risk of disclosure and misuse. The longer you use the same password, the more likely it is to fall into the hands of hackers.

Ignoring two-factor authentication (2FA)

Two-factor authentication (2FA) is an additional level of security that requires not only a password, but also a second factor, such as a code sent to your phone. Ignoring this method is a big mistake. Even if someone gets your password, they can’t get into your account without the second factor.

Not changing your password after a security incident or data leak

If a security incident or data leak occurs, it is imperative to change all affected passwords immediately. Ignoring this may result in further compromise of your accounts and sensitive information.

Using the Have I Been Pwned page, you can check to see if your email address, password or website has been leaked, if this has happened it is advisable to at least make a password change.

Tips and tricks for remembering

1. Use mnemonic devices

One of the oldest and most effective tricks is to use mnemonic aids. For example, you can create a password using the first letter of each word in a sentence that you can easily remember. For example, the sentence “My dog Rex loves to go for walks in the park on Hradecka Street, the park is next to the shop with the number 191” could be turned into the password “MdRltgfwitpoHS_tpinttswtn191”.

2. Use associations

Associate the password with something you like or are interested in. If you like a particular place, you can incorporate the name of that place into your password. For example, your email password could include the name of a city you’d like to travel to and a significant date associated with that place.

3. Create your own rules

Create your own rules for creating passwords. For example, you can always use a certain combination of words and numbers that are meaningful to you. If you have a favourite song, you can use the words in its parts and add special characters and numbers to them. This will not only increase the complexity of the password, but it will also help you remember it better.

Using password managers

Password managers are apps or services that store and manage your passwords in an encrypted database, allowing you to securely store all your passwords in one place and access them using a master password.

Using a password manager allows you to have strong and unique passwords for each account without having to remember them, and also offers features like auto-fill logins and alerts for security issues. When choosing a password manager, it’s important to consider security, user-friendliness, features and, if applicable, price.