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Jim Lane

(11,175 posts)

14. Does password complexity really matter?

Reply to wtmusic (Reply #11)

Thu Nov 22, 2012, 06:40 AM

Nov 2012

With an 8-character password, if I use no numerals, no symbols, and no lower-case letters, there are many fewer combinations (only 26⁸, or about 200 billion). Nevertheless, in your example of someone guessing one per second, it would still take (by my math) more than 6,000 years to cover all of them. Granted, 7 million years is in some respects more secure, but is there any practical difference?

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34 replies

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Highlight:

Kill the Password: Why a String of Characters Can’t Protect Us Anymore [View all] UnrepentantLiberal Nov 2012 OP

k&r! nt wildbilln864 Nov 2012 #1

If you're goofy enough to use AOHell customerserviceguy Nov 2012 #2

I trust my Gmail account Canuckistanian Nov 2012 #9

The GMAIL password is in clear text format for the Tech Support and AdWord folks to see. n/t TheBlackAdder Nov 2012 #12

Really? wtmusic Nov 2012 #27

Read the entire link, plz 3c273a Nov 2012 #3

A chunk of my own security is about screwing up the password reset questions Posteritatis Nov 2012 #4

The set-your-own-question password seems pretty solid. XemaSab Nov 2012 #10

Enter two-factor authentication. n/t ProfessionalLeftist Nov 2012 #5

And text messaging makes our phones the second factor. gtar100 Nov 2012 #30

LavaBit email doesn't provide a "Forgot your password?" option Shankapotomus Nov 2012 #6

i get his point behindthe8ballnchain Nov 2012 #7

wow..that is scary AsahinaKimi Nov 2012 #8

Ech. Misrepresentative title. wtmusic Nov 2012 #11

Mine has 11 characters. UnrepentantLiberal Nov 2012 #13

Does password complexity really matter? Jim Lane Nov 2012 #14

There are devices and computer programs that do that much quicker. UnrepentantLiberal Nov 2012 #21

Probably not. wtmusic Nov 2012 #26

I use an 18 character passphrase RomneyLies Nov 2012 #19

As long as your dog's name wasn't Max, you're probably ok nt wtmusic Nov 2012 #23

I use numerous email accounts with multiple providers. Edweird Nov 2012 #15

Both my banks and my email require that I NYC Liberal Nov 2012 #16

all someone has to do is access the email servers to read your email hobbit709 Nov 2012 #17

I am not sure passwords are going to become extinct MyNameGoesHere Nov 2012 #18

I actually wish there was a replacement for passwords. Tracer Nov 2012 #20

I keep a password safe application on my smartphone for that purpose. backscatter712 Nov 2012 #25

The myth of the secured, networked computer. There has never been such a thing, Egalitarian Thug Nov 2012 #22

I've got so much stuff on Google that I took the precaution of activating 2 factor authentication. backscatter712 Nov 2012 #24

The same can be said for your home. Passwords are just locks on doors. gtar100 Nov 2012 #28

the main point seems to be that passwords ARE good protection, just don't have a silly one unblock Nov 2012 #29

Dumb dumb. Can't find me on google and certainly can't find the SWTORFanatic Nov 2012 #31

Great article, I learned a lot, thanks for posting! mrsadm Nov 2012 #32

Glad the article was helpful. UnrepentantLiberal Nov 2012 #34

Meh... I use my BofA ATM PIN as my password for every online account. n/t cherokeeprogressive Nov 2012 #33