Remembering Passwords

TL;DR #

Remembering strong passwords can be a pain, but with a few tricks, you can create a bunch of unique, long, and strong passwords that are actually easy to remember. Here’s a simple method: Pick a song, poem, or phrase that you like. Then, take the first letter from each word. Capitalize some letters, and replace others with numbers or symbols that remind you of the letter. Longer passwords are harder to crack, so aim for at least 12 characters. For more sensitive information, like banking sites, go even longer. And remember, never use the same password for multiple accounts.

Example #

Lets make an easier to remember password. First we need a poem or song. How about Taylor Swift’s “Trouble”:

I knew you were trouble when you walked in. Shame on me…

Now we will use the first letter of each word:

ikywtwywisom

We can capitalize a letter or two. The most obvious would be the first I, so lets be different:

ikyWtwywiSom

How about we add a number or two. “i"s look like 1s:

1kyWtwywisom

A special character or two could spice it up:

1kyWtwyw!$om

Review #

How can we improve this password? We could have made it longer by adding the next line of the song. But making it longer won’t necessarily make it harder to remember. You just need to remember the lyrics you used and the logic you used for the character substitution. Also, if you happen to be a well known “Swiftie” choosing a song for a different artist may be better.