How do I generate strong passwords?
Tips for creating a strong password!

To create a strong password, use the password generator in Password Depot whenever possible: select the maximum number of characters allowed, and all allowed character types for maximum security. You do not have to remember the passwords generated by the password generator, because you store them in Password Depot. Thus, they can be very long and complex.

However, if for any reason you want to create a password "by hand", these tips will help you further.

Tips for creating strong passwords

Here are helpful tips to keep in mind when creating a strong password.

Many characters: Use as many characters as possible for your password, as each additional character increases its security. Use at least eight to ten characters - but preferably as many characters as the target system allows.

Avoid: Short passwords ("hello", "abc" ...) or passwords from a single character ("a", "1" ...)

Various signs: Repeat no characters, even no strings - regardless of the type of characters (letters, numbers, punctuation marks, symbols).

Avoid: "ababab", "aaaaa". Etc.

Various types of characters: Use both letters - uppercase and lowercase letters - as well as numbers, punctuation, and special characters. Ideally, you use all allowed character types. Do not do this if your password is longer.

Avoid: passwords consisting only of letters or numbers.

No strings: Avoid patterns regarding letters, numbers, and keyboard input.

Avoid: "12345", "abcde", "asdfg" ...

No letter replacement by similar-looking characters: Replacing letters with similar numbers or special characters does not deceive a good hacker. It is therefore of limited use to replace the letter "o" with the number "0", "i" by "1" or "a" by "@" ("P @ word"). So do not replace an "i" with "1", but with a special character like "$", for example.

Avoid: "P @ ssw0rt", "M1crosoft" ...

No personal preferences: Neither names nor numbers. Do not use names of relatives, acquaintances or pet names. Also, no personal numbers, such as from your phone or car.

Avoid: "Mommy", "Sweetheart", "DA-AB-309" ...

No personal preferences: Personal preferences are as easy to guess as private names and numbers. So do not choose your favorite foods, sports, locations, TV series, etc. for your password.

Avoid: "PizzaSalami", "BayernMünchen", "Bodensee" ...

No dictionary entries . If there is a word in the dictionary, it is not safe, regardless of length and dictionary. Because hacker programs can systematically try dictionary entries.

Avoid: "Duden", "Donauschifffahrtsdampfer" ...

Change: Change your passwords on a regular basis - more frequently the more sensitive the data they are protecting and the shorter the passwords. As a rough guideline, passwords less than eight characters should be changed weekly, eight to ten characters monthly, and more than twelve characters every six months.

Password Depot Tip: Let Password Depot remind you to renew your passwords. Fill in the field "valid until". This allows you to define an individual validity period for each entry.

Variety: Use a different password for each account. Never use the same - or similar - passwords for multiple accounts.

Summary:

  • A password should take advantage of the maximum number of characters allowed by each account.
  • It should contain all the characters that the account allows, e.g. numbers, punctuation and special characters. Likewise, uppercase and lowercase letters should be mixed.
  • If a password can be looked up in the dictionary or in another dictionary , it is not a secure password - regardless of the length! Programs that can crack passwords work with dictionaries and systematically try the entries.
  • You should not use names of family members or your pet. Likewise, no phone numbers , license plates or other data that can easily be found out about you.
  • They also use never simple keyboard patterns such as "asdf" or "jklö".

IMPORTANT: Change your passwords regularly. The more sensitive the data, the more frequently the password should be changed. Use the Valid To field to automatically remind Password Depot to renew a password.

Tips for your Master Password in Password Depot:

From the above mentioned hints, you will find the following tips for a secure master password for Password Depot:

Create a secure master password by using the first letters from an easy-to-remember phrase. "I use strong passwords in Password Depot and have been doing so for 10 years" gives the password "IvsKiPDudss10J". To make this password even more secure, replace the letter "s" with a special character like "#". This will give you the password: "Iv # KiPDud ## 10J".
Another method is the mixing of numbers and words: "K2e9n1n0w2o0r0t1" was composed of "password" and "29.10.2001". The date should not be a known birthday. Here, too, you can further increase security by replacing a number with a special character, e.g. the "1" by "^", which then yields "K2e9n ^ n0w2o0r0t ^".