Tips on how to create a strong password

Tips on how to create a strong password

Secure passwords are key to keeping Employment and Social Development Canada's (ESDC) computers and client data safe.

"Passphrases", a string of random words that make sense to you, are stronger than typical passwords because they can be remembered without being written down.

What is a passphrase?

• Longer: 12-16 characters, rather than the usual 8- character password minimum
• Random words, but meaningful to you so the phrase is not easily guessed by an attacker

Helpful tips

• Choose a word sequence that means something to you (e.g. I love Spain becomes Love2go2Spain)
• Include a word from another language (e.g. concombre, cucumber in French, becomes Concombre4lunch)
• Interweave characters in successive words (e.g. Black belts becomes BLAbeltCK5)
• Substitute a synonym (e.g. Dan's motorcycle becomes Dan*sHrlyDvdsn)

What to avoid

• Words or phrases you post about on social media, or facts about your life (e.g. birthdays, family names)
• Common expressions, song titles, movies, quotes
• Seasons combined with a year (e.g. Summer2019)
• Predictable techniques for adding complexity, like capitalizing the first letter or using an exclamation mark for the last character (e.g. Password!)