The safety of a password depends primarily on three factors recommended by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST): length, complexity, and randomness. A password that is long (at least 12-14 characters), complex (includes uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and symbols), and unique (not reused across multiple accounts) is considered much more secure. Passwords that are short, common, reused, or contain easily guessable information (like birthdays or names) are significantly less safe and vulnerable to hacking attempts such as brute force attacks or credential stuffing from data breaches. NIST and security experts suggest:
- Using long passwords or passphrases (e.g., a combination of random words).
- Utilizing password managers to generate and store complex and unique passwords for every account.
- Avoiding reuse of passwords across accounts.
- Checking if your password has been exposed in any known data breaches through tools or services to know if it has been compromised.
For a practical assessment of any specific password, there are online password strength checkers that evaluate how long it might take to crack your password and whether it has appeared in leaked databases. These tools perform checks locally in the browser to keep the password secure. In summary, your password is safer if it is long, complex, random, unique, and not previously exposed in breaches. Using a password manager and passphrases can significantly enhance password security and ease of use.
