How to Create a Strong Password

The short answer

Use a randomly generated password of 16+ characters, unique for every account. Don't try to remember it — use a password manager. Or generate one right now with our Password Generator.

Why this matters: Over 80% of data breaches involve weak or reused passwords. "P@ssw0rd!" feels secure — but it's in every dictionary attack. Modern GPUs can test 100 billion passwords per second. Length beats complexity, and randomness beats both.

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Why "P@ssw0rd!" fails

Most people think complexity = security. Replace "a" with "@", add "!" at the end — done. But attackers know this. Dictionary attacks include:

• Leetspeak substitutions — "p@ssw0rd", "pa$$word", "p4ssw0rd" — all in the dictionary.
• Common suffixes — "!", "123", "2024" — attackers try them first.
• Keyboard patterns — "qwerty", "1q2w3e4r" — detected by modern crackers.

Modern GPUs can test 100 billion passwords per second. A password like "P@ssw0rd!" falls in seconds.

What makes a password strong (NIST says: length)

In 2017, NIST (the US National Institute of Standards and Technology) updated their password guidelines (NIST SP 800-63B). The key finding: length matters more than complexity.

• Minimum 8 characters — but 16+ is much stronger.
• No forced complexity rules — "must have 1 uppercase, 1 symbol" leads to predictable patterns.
• No forced rotation — changing passwords every 90 days makes them weaker (users pick "Password1", "Password2"...).
• Check against breach lists — reject passwords that appear in known leaks.

A 16-character random password has ~100 bits of entropy. That's millions of years to crack — even with 100 billion attempts per second.

How to remember a strong password

You don't. Use a password manager. But if you need a master password you can remember, use a passphrase:

• Diceware method — 5–6 random words from a dictionary. Example: correct-horse-battery-staple.
• Entropy — 6 words from a 7776-word list = ~77 bits. Strong enough for most uses.
• Add separators and a symbol — "correct-horse-battery-staple-42!" — still memorable, much stronger.

Our Password Generator has a "words" mode — generates memorable passphrases.

Interesting facts about passwords

• 1Password gets 53,000 visits/month just from "strong password generator". The demand is huge — but most sites still let you register with "123456".
• NIST reversed its own advice. In 2003, NIST recommended forced complexity + rotation. In 2017, they reversed it — because the data showed it made passwords weaker.
• "correct horse battery staple" — the famous XKCD comic (2011) that popularized passphrases. It's still the best explanation of password entropy.
• The most common password in 2024 was still "123456". It appeared in over 4 million breaches — 15 years after it was first flagged as insecure.

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