How to Create Strong Passwords | Consumer Reports

Think your passwords are tough to hack? Think again. We crack the code on how to protect your most private information.

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[VooDooTube...]

CREATING A PASSWORD

-Please enter your new password.
“cabbage”

-Sorry, the password must have more than 8 characters.
“boiled cabbage”

-Sorry, the password must contain 1 numerical character.
“1 boiled cabbage”

-Sorry, the password cannot have blank spaces.
“50stupidboiledcabbages”

-Sorry, the password cannot use more than one upper
case character consecutively.
-50StupidBoiledCabbagesShovedUpYourArse,


-Sorry, the password cannot contain punctuation.


AccessImmediately”

-Sorry, that password is already in use.

[jimmelay]

Kudos to Jack and CR for tuning down the schtick. Good episode.

[Supperconductor]

Enable two-factor authentication whenever possible.

[stephenpowstinger]

Why did his "strong password" idea not have numbers or special characters?

[Ken.-]

Using the same password on every site is bad since some sites will store the password in plaintext that someone could find. It would be better to just write down your password, since it's less likely that someone breaking into your house is looking for a sheet of paper. Plus there are ways to write it down that would make it fairly difficult for someone to get your real passwords. Like remember a 8 random characters and append to that what you wrote down. Only part of you password is the same on every site. It's not ideal, but it's better than all of your passwords being the same on every site.

A problem with using security questions is like passwords, they are stored on the servers and you would need to have a different security question on every site you go to. Additionally people will try various things until they get it, so a security question should just never be used ever. It's just help for a someone else and pretty useless to most people.

A security question is like having a sign on your door that says, "Look under the Welcome mat. There may be a spare key there." It was always a bad idea from the start to have these things.

[MrHasie]

People are are just going to write it down anyway and stick it next to their computer screen. 🤷‍♀️

[bethphilip]

Thank you. Hard to concentrate with the music & all tho!! :(

[qolumbia]

I don't think the people who made this video know much about a safe password. While randomness is good, it is still dictionary words without capitals, numbers, or special symbols so someone with a machine to guess millions of passwords in a second should still be able to crack it

[Jesus-ktdc]

*I'm sure no one will get locked out of their account with "stars ride in cars and boats".*

[jeffreymeeks]

It is never that serious. My password is close to gh229524. Unguessable

[coffeeabuse]

Regarding the answers to password hints: they said, "It's not a good idea to answer those things too truthfully". Wait - two years down the road, you're asked the password hint question, and you now have to remember a false answer from two years ago? Yeah, no. Good luck with that!

[spiderjump]

Don’t use words or phrases associated with something you
Are known for. Your colleagues or friends will most likely guess it. Or even someone looking at your social media.

For example if a man was a big MCU fan don’t have
Hulksmash$$$888

Instead, have a random quirky sentence. Include uppercase letters. Add symbols and numbers.

IleftmyexgfcosSHEGOTFAT$123