Passwords containing letters, numbers and special characters 'daft'

Complex passwords containing letters, numbers and special characters are ‘daft’… just use three random words instead as they’re harder to crack, say Government spy chiefs

  • Government spy chiefs warned complicated passwords with numbers are ‘daft’ 
  • Now they recommend choosing three random words to make accounts secure 
  • NCSC explained hackers are savvy to typical ‘predictable’ password methods 

We’ve all been there – you’ve made an online password that’s impossible to crack… but you’ve forgotten it yourself.

Government spy chiefs, however, have now warned complicated passwords made up of letters, numbers and special characters are ‘daft’.

Instead they recommend choosing three random words to make your internet accounts secure. 

The NCSC explained that hackers are savvy to typical password methods, such as switching the letter ‘o’ to the number ‘0’

Dr Ian Levy, the technical director of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), said: ‘Traditional password advice telling us to remember multiple complex passwords is simply daft. 

‘There are several good reasons why we decided on the three random words approach – not least because they create passwords which are both strong and easier to remember.

‘By following this advice, people will be much less vulnerable to cyber criminals.’ 

The NCSC explained that hackers are savvy to typical password methods, such as switching the letter ‘o’ to the number ‘0’.

A combination of three random words to create a key can actually be harder for code-breaking algorithms to detect

Such techniques actually ‘result in the creation of more predictable passwords’, the agency said. 

A combination of three random words to create a key can actually be harder for code-breaking algorithms to detect.

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