How to create a maximum security password

Last May 5, 2016, World Password Day was celebrated, an event promoted by TeamViewer to increase user awareness and security in managing passwords for their accounts.

TeamViewer, software used for remote control of devices such as PCs, teaches us the most important rule about passwords: "Passwords are like underwear – they must be changed regularly and not shown in public!"

In support of this initiative we have also drawn up a short handbook on the management and creation of maximum security proof passwords:

use a different password for each account

do not use passwords that contain your name or surname (or personal data in general) or simple vocabulary words such as sole123 or mare456

do not share your password with other users

change your password regularly

if possible, choose "two-factor" authentication, i.e. platforms that allow you to carry out two steps to verify authentication. In addition to the password, a second factor is required, usually a code created randomly and sent to your mobile device.

Let's take a practical example of how to create a secure password. If your website is pippo.it, you can generate a password made up of the first letters of the words of this sentence: "my site is pippo.it" with the addition of a capital letter at the beginning (as in our case) or at the end and a personal date that you know (for example the birth of your dog or the birthday of a relative) and, if necessary, also enter a special character (which never hurts).

The result is: Imsepi&27011980

For some years now, however, it seems that passwords and even two-factor authentication are destined not to have a very long future. This is because we will be able to use increasingly advanced and increasingly common biometric systems, taking advantage of the uniqueness of our body, as is already the case with some latest generation smartphones that are unlocked through the fingerprint sensor.

However, until these biometric systems are within the reach of all users and all tools, password security remains a matter of fundamental importance.

User safety is a topic very dear to us. This is why every day we invest a lot of resources in keeping the infrastructure that hosts your sites and your data safe and we took the opportunity of this recent Password Day to underline this concept and to remind ourselves that, if you haven't done it for a while, today is a good day to change the passwords of all your accounts!