Categories: Tech Corner
      Date: Dec 23, 2008
     Title: Secure Your Accounts with Random Passwords

Do you use simple passwords for your email, social network, bank accounts, or other online accounts?  These can be easy to guess or hack.  Generally the strongest passwords are long, randomly generated and contain no dictionary words. Password cracking techniques exist and include:

• weak password attack - exploiting weak passwords such as 'password', user names used as passwords, family names, or blank passwords.
• brute force attack - all possible combinations are used to attempt to gain entry.
• dictionary attack - word lists from dictionaries are entered and used to attempt to match your password.

How can you prevent this?  Use a random password generator.  There are several password generators available.  Some of these are:

• http://www.goodpassword.com/
• http://www.pctools.com/guides/password/