Password Tips

The easiest way to protect yourself, and QCSD, from cyber threats, is by having a strong password. It's simple - the longer and more complex your password, the more difficult it is to crack. Shorter and simpler passwords take less time and resources for hackers to compromise.

Traits of a Bad Password

Hackers have created databases of the most common words, phrases, and number combinations that they can run your password through to find a match. The following are some common password themes that you should avoid:

  • Birthdays
  • Names
  • Phone numbers
  • Sports teams
  • QCSD information
  • Simple obfuscation of a common word ("P@$$w0rd").

What Makes a Good Password?

To start, your password should be at least eight characters long, with at least one capital letter, one number, and one special character ("@", or "%", etc.). As an added layer of security, change your passwords on a regular basis to ensure that you stay ahead of the hackers. QCSD requires password changes every 90 days but allows you to change them as frequently as you choose. And, whenever possible, you should use multi-factor authentication, such as Google's "Two Step Verification" to add an extra layer of security.

Remember, the best passwords contain as much randomness as possible - using unlikely combinations and random characters is a great strategy. Be creative!

Bad: Fuzzydog82

Better: %FuZZyD0G#8254!

Best: myFuzzyDog-eats4bones!Aday-BIG$

It's important to remember that you should not use the same password for multiple accounts - no matter how strong it is - because if one account gets compromised, then they're all compromised.

