Building Strong Passwords – 10 Tips That Actually Work

Introduction

Thought I had passwords figured out. Had a system — pet's name, birth year, exclamation mark. Figured that was solid.

Then a friend in cybersecurity laughed at me. Said he could crack it in minutes with a basic tool. Wake-up call.

Read a lot after that. Experimented. Learned what makes a password genuinely strong versus what just looks strong. Turns out it's not complicated once you know the rules, and a password generator takes most of the work off your plate.

Ten tips below. Same ones I use. Kept me out of trouble through years of browsing, shopping, and working online.

Use a Password Generator

Easiest way to create something strong — let a tool do it. A generator spits out random strings with no pattern and no connection to your life.

I use the Password Generator on Moon Tools Hub. Free, fast, private. Runs in your browser, so the password never goes to any server.

Pick the length, pick the character types, click generate. That's it. If you're doing anything else, stop. This single change does more for your security than everything else on this list.

Make It Long

Length beats complexity. Sixteen characters is exponentially harder to crack than eight, even if the shorter one has symbols in it.

Aim for 12 minimum. Sixteen or 20 if you can.

Long passwords feel intimidating to type. But with a password manager you only type them once. After that, the manager fills them in. And if you ever need to type one manually, copy and paste from the manager. No reason to go short.

Mix Character Types

Uppercase, lowercase, numbers, symbols. All four. Increases the number of possible combinations, which slows brute-force attacks way down.

Most generators include options for all four by default. I enable everything.

Only exception is when a site won't accept symbols. Then I stick with letters and numbers and make it longer to compensate. Point is, don't rely on one type. Twenty lowercase letters still loses to a twelve-character mix. Sounds wrong but it's true.

Avoid Personal Info

This was my mistake for years. Name, birthday, pet's name, hometown. All that stuff is easy to find on social media or through public records. Anyone who knows you, or does five minutes of research, can guess it.

Good passwords have nothing to do with who you are. No names. No family members. No address. No phone number. No birthday. No dictionary words either.

That's why generator output works so well. Nothing about it relates to you.

Don't Reuse

Possibly the most important tip here.

Same password across multiple accounts? A breach on one site compromises all of them. Hackers know people reuse. Credentials from one breached site get tested against dozens of others. Credential stuffing, it's called.

I use a unique password for every account. Sounds like a lot to remember. Isn't, because I use a password manager. Manager stores everything, fills it in, I only remember the master password.

Not using a manager? Start today. Changes everything.

Use a Password Manager

Speaking of which.

A password manager holds all your logins in one place. It's locked with one master password, and that's the only one you need to remember. The manager generates strong passwords, autofills them on websites, and keeps everything organised.

Plenty of good ones exist. Free, paid, whatever. Even a basic manager beats no manager. Takes time to set up. Use it for a week and you won't want to go back.

Enable Two-Factor Authentication

Even the strongest password can leak if a site gets breached. That's where 2FA comes in. Extra layer — a code from your phone, a hardware key, something beyond just the password.

Most major services support it. Email providers, social media, banks. I enable it on every account that offers it. Small inconvenience, huge security boost. Do it today if you haven't.

Change After a Breach

Site you use got hacked? Change the password immediately. Don't wait.

Even if yours was strong, better safe. Leaked logins get sold off to other criminals. Can take months before the breach becomes public.

I use a service that alerts me when my email shows up in a breach. When I get a ping, I change the password right away. Small routine, saved me a couple of times already.

Don't Share Insecurely

Should go without saying. Saying it anyway.

Passwords don't belong in email, texts, or chat apps. Those channels aren't secure. If you need to share one, use a manager's sharing feature or say it in person.

Seen people email passwords in plain text. Makes me cringe. Same energy as writing your PIN on the back of your debit card.

Use a Strong Master Password

If you use a password manager, the master password is everything. It needs to be very strong.

Passphrase works well — long, memorable, random words strung together. Or generate something random and store it somewhere safe. Either way, don't use something guessable.

I use a passphrase for mine. Combination of random words I can actually remember, but nobody else would guess. Also enabled 2FA on the manager account. Extra layer, worth it.

Common Questions

What's the best way to create one? Generator, 16+ characters, all four character types, stored in a password manager.

How often should I change them? After a breach, or every 6-12 months for sensitive accounts. Unique password that hasn't leaked? Regular rotation isn't necessary.

Are generators safe? Yes, provided everything happens locally in your browser. Moon Tools Hub doesn't send passwords anywhere.

Can't use a password manager? Write them down in a secure place. Locked drawer, safe. Not a text file sitting on your desktop.

Should I use symbols? Yes. Adds complexity. Most generators include them by default.

How do I remember all these? You don't. That's what the manager is for.

Final Thoughts

Creating strong passwords isn't complicated. Generator. Long. Mixed character types. No personal info. No reuse. Password manager. 2FA. Change after breaches. Don't share insecurely. Strong master password.

Those ten keep you safer than most people online. Costs nothing to try. The generator on Moon Tools Hub won't ask you for money.

Take a few minutes. Secure your accounts. Sleep better.

Posted in: Productivity Tools