The best password?

[GordonB]

Whilst chatting with the kids last night the subject of passwords came up and my lad happened to mention that someone at school had found out his password for the school system so he changed it. There was a stunned family silence followed by hysterical laughter when he announced that he'd changed it to Bobthebuilderlikesfruitsaladveryverymuch. Unbelievable and probably uncrackable! I'm still giggling writing this....

Anyone got any better ones?

Gordon

 

[Red Light]

Bobthebuilderlikesfruitsaladveryverymuch. Unbelievable and probably uncrackable!

Well probably uncrackable until just when it went public domain.

 

[ohnovino]

A good technique is to take a memorable phrase, shorten it to just the initials and then replace some of the letters with numbers. You end up with a seemingly random sequence but it's easy to remember.

For example, Bobthebuilderlikesfruitsaladveryverymuch could change to BtBlfsvvm. Then you could change the s for a 5 (they look a bit alike) and maybe change the two 'v's to '2v'. So you'd end up with BtBlf52vm - short(ish), easy to remember, no easy way to crack.

 

[musa]

I do have one but That would be telling. Then again I do forget it

Something like cakeandcustard could work for me

 

[2Loose]

A memorable phrase is much harder to crack than a short word, so youngsters bob the builder password would be far far harder to crack than OhNoVino's shortened suggestion, even for a computer. Also much easier to remember, although far longer to type!

 

[User269]

OK, Gordon, we're on to you! You'll have to find a more subtle way of getting us to reveal our passwords.

 

[Manonabike]

A memorable phrase is much harder to crack than a short word, so youngsters bob the builder password would be far far harder to crack than OhNoVino's shortened suggestion, even for a computer. Also much easier to remember, although far longer to type!

I'm not sure that is true. Hackers rely on code that looks at known password databases and also family names, DOB, etc. Memorable phrases would fall in that category, like password1, etc. What ohnovino suggested IMHO would be much harder to hack.

 

[Nigel-YZ1]

I tend to take parts of name labels of things around me then a couple of random digits.
Although old car registration numbers are good.

My current favourite is the nickname I had for a gorgeous blonde I used to work with.

 

[GordonB]

Well probably uncrackable until just when it went public domain.

Yeh but, it'll only give you access to my sons homework schedule!

Gordon

 

[Red Light]

My current favourite is the nickname I had for a gorgeous blonde I used to work with.

Fwooor it is then

 

[GordonB]

A good technique is to take a memorable phrase, shorten it to just the initials and then replace some of the letters with numbers. You end up with a seemingly random sequence but it's easy to remember.

For example, Bobthebuilderlikesfruitsaladveryverymuch could change to BtBlfsvvm. Then you could change the s for a 5 (they look a bit alike) and maybe change the two 'v's to '2v'. So you'd end up with BtBlf52vm - short(ish), easy to remember, no easy way to crack.

I'm not entirely convinced as I used a password in a similar form for EBay login and it got cracked. Don't know how because it was never used for any other site, never logged in from any public machine, wireless network protected by WPA2. All I can think is that as it was relatively short, eight characters, it could be brute force cracked. My son's password is unlikely to be cracked other than by looking over his shoulder or by his dad being daft enough to post it on a public forum.......

 

[Red Light]

A good technique is to take a memorable phrase, shorten it to just the initials and then replace some of the letters with numbers. You end up with a seemingly random sequence but it's easy to remember.

For example, Bobthebuilderlikesfruitsaladveryverymuch could change to BtBlfsvvm. Then you could change the s for a 5 (they look a bit alike) and maybe change the two 'v's to '2v'. So you'd end up with - short(ish), easy to remember, no easy way to crack.

Yes make it more secure by replacing a password with 2 times ten to the power 62 combinations to crack with one with ten to the power 14. The password strength tester gives his 100% and yours 71%.

 

[thnurg]

I tend to use this technique.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/05/28/password_advice/

Choosing a song in a foreign language adds to the strength.

 

[Red Light]

I tend to use this technique.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/05/28/password_advice/

Choosing a song in a foreign language adds to the strength.

Nice simple algorithm for the password crackers. Easy to guess because - and here's the hint - popular songs tend to be popular. Oh and the password crackers are often foreign so the language doesn't help either. Sorry.

 

[ohnovino]

Yes make it more secure by replacing a password with 2 times ten to the power 62 combinations to crack with one with ten to the power 14. The password strength tester gives his 100% and yours 71%.

I never said it would be more secure; it's just a way to have a password that is memorable, convenient and safe from a dictionary attack. If a site will let you have a phrase with that many characters (and no numbers) and you're happy to have to keep typing long passwords then go for it.