Information Communication Technology ICT – 8 Safety and security | e-Consult

Strong passwords are crucial for protecting user accounts and preventing unauthorised access to computer systems and data. Weak passwords are easily guessed or cracked, making accounts vulnerable to compromise. The risks associated with weak passwords include data breaches, identity theft, and unauthorised access to sensitive information.

Three strategies to create strong passwords and why they are effective are:

• Use a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols: This significantly increases the number of possible password combinations, making it much harder for attackers to guess.
• Avoid using personal information (e.g., names, birthdays, pet names): Attackers often use personal information to create passwords. Avoiding this makes passwords less predictable.
• Use passphrases (e.g., "I love to eat pizza on Fridays"): Passphrases are longer and more complex than single words, and are easier to remember than random strings of characters. They are also more resistant to cracking.