Having a complex password might not protect you as well as a simple one can

Passwords should be simpler, research from cyber security experts has shown.

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16 August 2016

Complex passwords are not always the safest, new research from security experts has suggested.

Unintelligible combinations of letters, numbers and symbols are often thought to be the most secure but findings from scientists in America show the opposite could be true.

The researchers discovered simpler passwords, including lengthy memorable phrases, are harder to crack and can be 300 times more secure.

Cryptic passwords like F5"kp'a*)hw$% and Ev3n1ng5*sT4ndArD! are no more secure than phrases like EveningStandardwritesthenews or MoFarahisanOlympicrunner, the scientists have found.

The research comes from a series of studies by CyLab, an American cybersecurity research institute at Carnegie Mellon University in Pennsylvania.

The findings also suggest passwords should be changed every couple of years – not every few months as is commonly believed.

Public bodies and businesses around the world, including Nato, are also paying attention to the scientists’ research, The Times reported.

The best passwords which protect against hacking programmes are longer phrases and strings of characters – and are easier to remember. The scientists suggest the ideal password is 16 characters long.

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