, 2004-05-26
For the 70% of the population that will trade their computer password for a bar of chocolate, this one's for you.
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Pass the Chocolate
2004-06-01
Tommy Ward (2 replies)
Tommy Ward (2 replies)

The most secure passwords are either randomly or mnemonicly (is that a word?) generated. The benefit of the latter is that it's easier to remember than the former.
For example, I can take an easily-remembered phrase like "if you can't beat them, join them" and create a password out of the initial letters: iycbtjt. It looks random, but to the creator, it makes sense. Granted, it's only 7 letters, but it's better than using dictionary words.
Another method is to take a dictionary word and split it up with numbers or special characters. Like splitting aardvark with 546: aard546vark. It's no longer a dictionary word, but the creator can see it as such.
Here's a PDF translated into HTML discussing the memorability of passwords:
http://tinyurl.com/28b8m
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Link to this comment: http://www.securityfocus.com/comments/columns/245/26605#26605