Security: Passphrases & Passwords - GROK Knowledge Base (2024)

A passwordisa common form of authentication and isoften the only barrier between you and your personal information. There are several tools that attackers use to assist in guessing or cracking a password. By creating a complex passwordand keeping it confidential, you make it more difficult for hackers to gainunauthorized accessto your information.Why do I need a Password?

Advice on Choosing aPassword

Secureand complexpasswords are often thought of as burdensome. With required 15-character minimum length, use of upper & lower case letters, and theuse of a number or special character, this can often seem like too much to remember. Thankfully, there is an easier way... you can enter apassphrase. A phrase meets the requirements on length and complexity, but it is easier toremember.

For some ideas on comingup with a passphrase, consider the following examples:

• "Tiger123"
  • This password is short and easy for you to remember.It is important to realize, this password would also be easy tofigureout orguess.This is an example of a VERY insecure password.
• "T1g3rudhxn!vo?LSU"
  • This password is much more complex, but also much harder to remember.
• "Aren't tigers awesome and number 1 in the nation?"
  • This passphrase is long, complex, and easierto remember than the previous example.
    

DONOT USE ANYof thePasswords ORPassphrasesused as examplesin this articleforYOUR ACTUAL PASSWORD!

Remember a Complex Password

Full sentences andphrases are VERY secure because of the complexity and multiple waysin which they can be constructed. There are many ways "Aren't tigers awesome and number 1 in the nation?"could be written. As a result, it is more difficult for attackers to guess and it is harder for password cracking tools todecipher.

LSU passwordsCANcontain spaces, making apassphrase an ideal solution.

Question:

I try to keep my passwords in syncor similar to each other to make it easier to remember them. It is difficult to do thiswith such HIGH password requirements.

How should I handle the password for the other web services that I use? For example, passwords for otherweb services thatDO NOTallow spaces or have a very short maximum length.

Answer:

APassphrasecan be a viable solution by using abbreviations. Consider the following examples:

• "Where oh where has my little 1 gone?"
  • This passphrase may be too LONGfor many web sites orwebservices.
• "Wowhml1g?"
  • This abbreviated version of the previous password is now much shorter.It appears random and is difficult to guess, howeverit is easier for you to remember since you know the phrase that it originates from.
    

Steps to ChangeYour Password

Change Your MyLSU AccountPassword

Article ID: 16865
Last Updated: 10/13/2023 3:20:37 PM

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