Suggestions for Constructing Secure Passwords

1. Don’t use any of the following suggestions exactly as they’re described – add something of your own to make them different.  Because they’re published here they are no longer secure.

2. Once you’ve come up with a catchy password do NOT put it on a sticky note on your monitor or under your keyboard.  Everyone on campus knows to look there!  A great password is hard to guess, easy to remember and never needs to be written down.

3. Use the first letters of a favorite phrase or song title, mixing case for the letters and including numbers and symbols as substitutes for some words.
   1. From the old Dr. Pepper advertisements:  “Wouldn’t you like to be a Pepper too?” becomes WyL2baP2?
   2. For 50 Foot Wave fans:  “Paralyzed by inaction in a floodlit parking garage” from “Long Painting” becomes Pbi2aFpg
   3. If you’re an Andrea Boccelli fan:  Time to say Goodbye becomes T2sayGbye (T2sG is too short)
   4. For everyone from EKU:  Campus Beautiful becomes Cam%usB! and Moving Forward Together is M4w2gether

4. Put two or more words together with a number or symbol.
   1. The combination of books and study becomes B@@ks4St#dy
   2. Putting together cat and tattoo could be C@tatt2
   3. Mixing fun, sun and cash you might have F#Ns#n4Ca$h or Cra$h&BuRn

5. Substitute numbers for letters in your words.
   1. Spotlight becomes 5p0t!ight (five for “S”, zero for “o” and ! for “l”)
   2. Spoilsport could be Sp0i15p*rT
   3. Zap Pow Bang turns into 2ap%oW8anG (2 for “Z”, % for “P” and 8 for “B”)

6. Deliberately misspell one or two of the words in your password.
   1. Instead of spaghetti use Pa$Gh@tt1
   2. Replace graduation with Gr@TiAtI0N(that’s a zero between the I and N)
   3. Play ball is converted to Pal1yBal1y

7. Combine a set of initials or acronym with one of your old phone numbers no longer in service or a phone number you used to dial frequently.
   1. If my long-lost sweetheart’s initials were PMR and my home phone number was 867-5309 when I was 8 years old (and I didn’t marry the sweetheart or keep the phone number) I could use PmR75309
   2. If you’re familiar with the Ohio Society for the Elevation of Kites and you used to call 321-8367 for the time and temperature, try OsEk8367