Fasten Up - Passwords


• Password, what is that?	• How can I protect myself?
• Psst… what's your password?	• It is so hard to remember! Fret not, “passphrase” technique to the rescue!

Password, what is that?

A password is commonly used by a computer system to verify your identity to determine if it should grant you access to the system. However, someone can masquerade as you or access your personal information if the person knows your password.

Psst… what's your password?

So what is the problem with sharing or letting someone else know your password? Surely, a hacker will not be interested in my account since I am not an important person. Unfortunately, your password may also provide a hacker with access to various other systems and services in your name. For example, they might:

	Read and delete your e-mail, and prevent you from getting it
	E-mail nasty and false messages to others in your name
	Commit illegal activities in your name
	Change your account or files

The list of undesirable things they can do with your password is endless.

How can I protect myself?

The two basic guidelines to safeguard your password are: create a strong password and keep it secret.

Do you know what constitutes a strong password? Here are the characteristics of a strong password:

	Not pieces of personal information (e.g. birth date, license plate no, NRIC, etc)
	8 Characters or longer
	Mixtures of alphabets and numbers or mixtures of upper and lower case letters
	Not made up of English words (e.g. photograph, happyfamily, etc)

It is so hard to remember! Fret not, “passphrase” technique to the rescue!

We would like to share with you an excellent technique for creating strong yet easy-to-remember passwords, it is called the “passphrase” technique:

	Think of a easy-to-remember phrase
	Use the first letter of each word to form the password
	E.g. a phrase like "I take bus 105 to my grandma's place" will give you the password "Itb105tmgp"

Lastly, all your efforts at creating strong passwords will go in vain if you leave your password lying around (e.g. on a post-it note struck next to your monitor) or if you share it with many people! Please keep your passwords secret and secure!