Passwords are used everywhere on the internet, and your own computer. Passwords are very important from keeping hackers and random people from seeing your confidential information. The only problem is if you have a "weak password" it makes it easier for anyone to access this information. A strong password is a crucial part in having a secure computer, and a secure life.

To start off, lets give some examples of what a strong password really is. As I said there is "weak" and "strong" passwords, the difference is slim to "novice users" but to more advanced, it's quite a large difference. A strong password is something that only you would know. A name, a place, a date, anything that only you and maybe loved ones may know. Using a combination of letters and numbers (sometimes capitals and lowercase) can really help make a strong password. Down below are a few examples:

• paris2004 (Somewhat strong)
• ParisLove2004 (Stronger)
• Morphix2457 (Very Strong)

The more characters used, the better. When you combine letters and numbers it gives "password cracks" a large disadvantage. Some programs will run through a dictionary (making words like paris) easy to crack. When you add numbers to these it "throws a curve" and makes it more difficult, and the dictionary search won't help that much. Sometimes adding capitals make it harder too, because the programs have to make words numerous times (i.e. paris, Paris, PaRiS, etc) taking the time to crack you password, alot longer. Now when you make up a word like I did (Morphix), it really messes up the programs. This is a word that has value to me, and isn't found in a dictionary. If I added more capitals and numbers it would be even stronger.

Now a weak password, and even username can leave you wide open to attacks. The username isn't as important as the password but it can still help. When using "default" passwords like (password, 123123, security) alot of password cracking programs will search for those passwords first. Having a weak password, or something as insecure as "password" isn't going to give you any security. Below are some examples of bad passwords:

• password
• 123123
• drowssap (password backwards)
• time
• guardian

These passwords (first 2 especially) are the worst you could come up with. While they are convenient to type in, they are so weak it's not even funny. As stated above, using letters and numbers and capitals can really help you keep yourself secure. Using passwords like these will have your comptuer (and your vital information) hacked into very quickly. Keep yourself secure... use strong passwords, especially on important things like:

• Administrator accounts.
• Credit cards.
• anything that has access to your confidential information.
• E-mail accounts.
• Almost anything that has information about you.