The tyranny of passwords
Let’s face it: passwords are a hassle. Remembering them is a constant struggle, and just when you’ve finally committed one to memory, you’re asked to change it. It’s a never-ending cycle of frustration. The average person has to juggle numerous passwords, each with its own unique requirements for length, complexity, and special characters. It’s no wonder we often find ourselves staring blankly at a login screen, trying to recall if this particular password has an exclamation mark or a number at the end.
Adding to the difficulty, many platforms demand that we change our passwords periodically. Just when we get comfortable, the dreaded prompt appears: “It’s time to update your password.” So we sigh and go through the whole process again, often creating a new password that’s just a slight variation of the old one.
You manage the craziness the same as I do
To cope with these demands, we all develop systems to create passwords we can remember. Some use favorite words combined with numbers, others rely on patterns on the keyboard, and a few might even string together random words.
We like to think our personal system is clever and secure. After all, who could possibly guess the name of our childhood pet combined with our favorite number? The reality, however, is that most of us fall into predictable patterns. Cybersecurity experts have found that many people use similar strategies, making our supposedly unique passwords not so unique after all.
This predictability means that someone who knows a bit about you could potentially guess your password. Birthdays, anniversaries, pet names, and other personal details are often integrated into our passwords, making them easier to crack.
Time to wake up to smell our reality
At this point, we’re not going to dive into the best methods for managing your passwords. There are plenty of tools and strategies out there, but the first step is recognizing that our current approach is flawed. Consider this a wake-up call. Our password systems are broken, and it’s time we acknowledge that. Awareness is the first step towards change. Stay tuned over the next few weeks as we share systems and strategies to help you develop more secure passwords without the headache.
When we talk about systems, we’re not just referring to password managers or tools. We’re talking about overarching principles and approaches to password creation that enhance security. Our goal is to help you develop passwords that are truly secure—ones that nobody can easily crack.
At least we can make some fun of ourselves
In the meantime, check out the comedy skit we just shared on LinkedIn, courtesy of Netflix. It’s a humorous take on the absurdity of passwords, and it’s well worth the three and a half minutes. Enjoy, and stay tuned for more tips on creating better passwords!
Check out the skit here.
Wordcloud and its analysis courtesy of DAVID MCCANDLESS at informationisbeautiful.net. Password comedy skit courtesy of Netflix and Michael McIntyre.
