4.3.1.1. Secure Password Creation Methodology

There are many methods people use to create secure passwords. One of the more popular methods involves acronyms. For example:

Think of a memorable phrase, such as:

"over the river and through the woods, to grandmother's house we go."
Next, turn it into an acronym (including the punctuation).

otrattw,tghwg.
Add complexity by substituting numbers and symbols for letters in the acronym. For example, substitute 7 for t and the at symbol (@) for a:

o7r@77w,7ghwg.
Add more complexity by capitalizing at least one letter, such as H.

o7r@77w,7gHwg.
Finally, do not use the example password above for any systems, ever.

While creating secure passwords is imperative, managing them properly is also important, especially for system administrators within larger organizations. The following section details good practices for creating and managing user passwords within an organization.