{"id":63010,"date":"2019-09-24T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-09-24T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/foxtail\/2019\/09\/24\/how-to-create-strong-passwords\/"},"modified":"2025-04-17T12:05:19","modified_gmt":"2025-04-17T19:05:19","slug":"how-to-create-strong-passwords","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/en\/firefox\/firefox-tips\/how-to-create-strong-passwords\/","title":{"rendered":"How to create strong passwords"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Password hacks so you don\u2019t get hacked | #AskFirefox\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/-0ZFZnq_v0g?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Your password is your first line of defense against hackers and unauthorized access to your accounts. The strength of your passwords directly impacts your online security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Combine unrelated words to make stronger passwords<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>To create a strong password, try combining two or more unrelated words. It could even be an entire phrase. Then change some of the letters to special letters and numbers. The longer your password, the stronger it is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A single word with one letter changed to an @ or ! (such as p@ssword!) doesn\u2019t make for a strong password. Password cracking programs contain every type of these combinations, in every single language.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Certain words should be avoided in all passwords<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Many people use familiar people, places or things in passwords because it makes their passwords easy to remember. This also makes your passwords easy for hackers to guess.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Passwords that contain the following information are insecure because they\u2019re easy to figure out. You can find much of this info after reviewing someone\u2019s social media profiles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Pet names<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A notable date, such as a wedding anniversary<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A family member\u2019s birthday<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Your child\u2019s name<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Another family member\u2019s name<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Your birthplace<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A favorite holiday<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Something related to your favorite sports team<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A favorite hobby<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The name of a significant other<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The word \u201cPassword\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Use different passwords for every account<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>To keep your accounts as secure as possible, it\u2019s best that every single one has a unique password. If one account gets breached, then hackers can\u2019t use those login credentials to gain access to other accounts. While no one can stop hackers from hacking, you can stop reusing the same password everywhere. Password reuse makes it far too easy for cyber criminals to attack one site and get your password for others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Use a password manager to remember all your passwords<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The average person has about 100 accounts with passwords to keep track of. Remembering them all isn\u2019t easy, but a password manager makes the task easy. A password manager, like the built-in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mozilla.org\/en-US\/firefox\/features\/password-manager\/\">Firefox Password Manager<\/a>, is a piece of software that keeps all your password safe, encrypted and protected. Some can even generate strong passwords for you and automatically enter them in to websites and apps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Password managers act like a digital safe-deposit box for all your online accounts. You just need one key to get into your accounts: A single, easy-to-remember but hard-to-guess password. That password unlocks the safe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But what if your password manager gets hacked? A good one keeps your passwords encrypted behind a password they don\u2019t know (only you do). They also don\u2019t store any of your credentials on their servers. While no single tool can guarantee total online safety, security experts agree that using a password manager is far more secure than using the same password everywhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Add an extra layer of security with two-factor authentication<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Many websites offer two-factor authentication, also known as <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/products\/firefox\/firefox-tips\/what-is-2fa\/\">2FA<\/a> or multi-factor authentication. On top of your username and password, 2FA requires another piece of information to verify yourself. So, even if someone has your password, they can\u2019t get in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Withdrawing money from an ATM is an example of 2FA. It requires your PIN code and your bank card. You need these two pieces to complete the transaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Websites that support 2FA include Google and Amazon. When you have 2FA enabled, the site will text you a code to enter after your password. Other forms of 2FA include YubiKeys USB ports and security apps like DUO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When you set up 2FA, many sites will give you a list of backup codes to verify your account. A password manager is a great place to store these codes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-style-default\"><a href=\"https:\/\/monitor.firefox.com\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/278\/files\/2019\/07\/monitor-shot-embed.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1841\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Your password is your first line of defense against hackers and unauthorized access to your accounts. The strength of your passwords directly impacts your online security. Combine unrelated words to make stronger passwords To create a strong password, try combining two or more unrelated words. It could even be an entire phrase. Then change some [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":727,"featured_media":51993,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[30,11377],"tags":[447017],"coauthors":[311664],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v22.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How to create strong passwords<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Your password is your first line of defense against hackers and unauthorized access to your accounts. Here\u2019s how to create strong passwords and boost your online security.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/en\/firefox\/firefox-tips\/how-to-create-strong-passwords\/\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/en\/firefox\/firefox-tips\/how-to-create-strong-passwords\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/en\/firefox\/firefox-tips\/how-to-create-strong-passwords\/\",\"name\":\"How to create strong passwords\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/en\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/en\/firefox\/firefox-tips\/how-to-create-strong-passwords\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/en\/firefox\/firefox-tips\/how-to-create-strong-passwords\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/278\/files\/2019\/09\/header_privacy_strong-passwords.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2019-09-24T00:00:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-04-17T19:05:19+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/5c987afc4f606be73692d2acfdd1316c\"},\"description\":\"Your password is your first line of defense against hackers and unauthorized access to your accounts. Here\u2019s how to create strong passwords and boost your online security.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/en\/firefox\/firefox-tips\/how-to-create-strong-passwords\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/en\/firefox\/firefox-tips\/how-to-create-strong-passwords\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/en\/firefox\/firefox-tips\/how-to-create-strong-passwords\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/278\/files\/2019\/09\/header_privacy_strong-passwords.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/278\/files\/2019\/09\/header_privacy_strong-passwords.png\",\"width\":1920,\"height\":1080},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/en\/firefox\/firefox-tips\/how-to-create-strong-passwords\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/en\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"How to create strong passwords\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/en\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/en\/\",\"name\":\"The Mozilla Blog\",\"description\":\"News and Updates about Mozilla\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/en\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/5c987afc4f606be73692d2acfdd1316c\",\"name\":\"M.J. Kelly\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/70718b02fa9f11d88288b937f1da2ac1\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d61ff6a9eb6dd324df20cb773e6c416e?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d61ff6a9eb6dd324df20cb773e6c416e?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"M.J. Kelly\"},\"description\":\"Mozilla Communications\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/en\/author\/mjkellymozilla-com\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"How to create strong passwords","description":"Your password is your first line of defense against hackers and unauthorized access to your accounts. Here\u2019s how to create strong passwords and boost your online security.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/en\/firefox\/firefox-tips\/how-to-create-strong-passwords\/","schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/en\/firefox\/firefox-tips\/how-to-create-strong-passwords\/","url":"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/en\/firefox\/firefox-tips\/how-to-create-strong-passwords\/","name":"How to create strong passwords","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/en\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/en\/firefox\/firefox-tips\/how-to-create-strong-passwords\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/en\/firefox\/firefox-tips\/how-to-create-strong-passwords\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/278\/files\/2019\/09\/header_privacy_strong-passwords.png","datePublished":"2019-09-24T00:00:00+00:00","dateModified":"2025-04-17T19:05:19+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/5c987afc4f606be73692d2acfdd1316c"},"description":"Your password is your first line of defense against hackers and unauthorized access to your accounts. Here\u2019s how to create strong passwords and boost your online security.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/en\/firefox\/firefox-tips\/how-to-create-strong-passwords\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/en\/firefox\/firefox-tips\/how-to-create-strong-passwords\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/en\/firefox\/firefox-tips\/how-to-create-strong-passwords\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/278\/files\/2019\/09\/header_privacy_strong-passwords.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/278\/files\/2019\/09\/header_privacy_strong-passwords.png","width":1920,"height":1080},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/en\/firefox\/firefox-tips\/how-to-create-strong-passwords\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/en\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"How to create strong passwords"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/en\/#website","url":"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/en\/","name":"The Mozilla Blog","description":"News and Updates about Mozilla","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/en\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/5c987afc4f606be73692d2acfdd1316c","name":"M.J. Kelly","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/70718b02fa9f11d88288b937f1da2ac1","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d61ff6a9eb6dd324df20cb773e6c416e?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d61ff6a9eb6dd324df20cb773e6c416e?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"M.J. Kelly"},"description":"Mozilla Communications","url":"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/en\/author\/mjkellymozilla-com\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63010"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/727"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=63010"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63010\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/51993"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=63010"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=63010"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=63010"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=63010"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}