Why Password Strength Matters
A strong password is your first line of defense against unauthorized access to your accounts. Weak passwords can be cracked in seconds using brute-force attacks or dictionary attacks. A 12-character password using all four character types has over 475 quadrillion possible combinations — making it virtually impossible to crack by brute force.
Password Security Best Practices
- Use at least 12–16 characters for general accounts; 20+ for sensitive accounts like banking.
- Mix character types: uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and symbols.
- Don't reuse passwords across multiple sites. Use a password manager instead.
- Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) wherever possible — even a weak password is much harder to crack with 2FA.
- Never use personal info like your name, birthday, or common words.
Password Strength Guide
| Password Type | Example | Time to Crack |
|---|---|---|
| 8 chars, letters only | abcdefgh | Seconds |
| 8 chars, mixed | aB3!dEfG | Hours to days |
| 12 chars, all types | aB3!dEfG9@kL | Centuries |
| 16 chars, all types | xK9@mLp2!qRt4Nz# | Millennia |