PASSWORD SECURITY FOR HOME USERS

Your Password Is
Your First Defense

81% of data breaches are caused by weak or stolen passwords. Learn how to create unbreakable passwords and protect your digital life.

81%
Weak password breaches
16+
Characters needed
10B
Stolen yearly

// KNOWLEDGE_TEST

Test Your Knowledge

How much do you really know about password security? Take this quick quiz to find out.

Question 1 of 8 0% Complete

// PASSWORD_ANALYZER

Test Your Strength

Your password is analyzed locally in your browser. We never store or transmit it anywhere.

password_strength.sh
Strength Level: Enter a password

> Waiting for input...

> Estimated crack time: -

16+ chars
Uppercase
Numbers
Symbols

// CREATION_GUIDE

Creating Unbreakable Passwords

Follow these proven methods to create passwords that even supercomputers can't crack.

01

Passphrase Method

Combine 4-5 random, unrelated words to create a long, memorable password. Add numbers and symbols between words.

Correct-Horse-Battery-Staple-42!

Easy to remember, hard to crack
02

Random Generator

Use a password manager to generate completely random strings. Maximum security but requires a manager to remember.

k9$mP2@xL5nQ8#vR

Maximum entropy and security
03

Sentence Method

Take the first letter of each word in a memorable sentence, mix cases, and add numbers/symbols.

"My dog Max loves to run in the park at 7am!"

MdMl2ritP@7a!

Personal and memorable
04

Base + Modifier

Create a strong base password, then add unique modifiers for each site. Never reuse the exact same password.

Base: "Tr0ub4dor&3" + Site prefix

Gm-Tr0ub4dor&3-ail

Unique per site, memorable system

The Golden Rules of Password Creation

01

Minimum 16 characters

Longer passwords exponentially increase crack time

02

Mix character types

Upper, lower, numbers, and symbols

03

Never reuse passwords

One breach shouldn't compromise all accounts

04

Avoid personal info

No birthdays, names, or pet names

05

No dictionary words

Dictionary attacks test every word

06

Avoid common patterns

No "123", "qwerty", or keyboard walks

// PASSWORD_GENERATOR

Generate Strong Passwords

Create uncrackable passwords instantly. Customize length and character types.

Click "Generate" to create a password

Copied to clipboard!

20
8 16 24 32 40

// SKILL_CHALLENGE

Rank the Passwords

Drag and drop to rank these passwords from weakest (top) to strongest (bottom). Test your knowledge!

Round: 1 / 3
Score: 0

Drag passwords to reorder. Weakest at top, strongest at bottom.

WEAKEST STRONGEST

// THREAT_DATABASE

How Passwords Get Cracked

Understanding attack methods helps you build better defenses. Here's what hackers actually do.

Brute Force Attack

Tries every possible combination. Modern GPUs can test 10+ billion passwords per second.

6-char password: cracked in seconds

Dictionary Attack

Tests common words, phrases, and previously leaked passwords from massive breach databases.

"password123" cracked instantly

Credential Stuffing

Uses stolen username/password pairs from one breach to access other sites where you reused credentials.

Why you NEVER reuse passwords

Phishing

Fake emails or websites trick you into entering your password directly. No cracking needed.

Always verify URLs before logging in

Keylogging

Malware records every keystroke including passwords. Often installed via malicious downloads.

Keep software updated, use antivirus

Social Engineering

Manipulating you psychologically to reveal passwords. Fake IT calls, urgent requests, impersonation.

Never share passwords, even with "IT"

Time to Crack by Password Length

Password Type Example Crack Time
6 lowercase letters simple Instant
8 mixed characters Pass123! 8 hours
12 mixed characters MyP@ss123!Ab 34,000 years
16 mixed characters Correct-Horse-42! 1 trillion years
20+ random characters k9$mP2@xL5nQ8#vRjT7y Centuries+

*Based on 10 billion guesses per second. Actual times vary by attack method and resources.

// PASSWORD_VAULT

Why You Need a Password Manager

The average person has 100+ online accounts. A password manager is the only way to stay secure.

Benefits

Unique passwords for every site

One breach never affects other accounts

Generate ultra-strong passwords

Random 20+ character strings you don't need to remember

Auto-fill saves time

Log in with one click, no typing required

Sync across all devices

Access passwords on phone, tablet, and computer

What to Look For

01

Zero-knowledge encryption

Only you can decrypt your data. Even the company can't see your passwords.

02

Two-factor authentication

Adds extra protection to your master password.

03

Breach monitoring

Alerts you when your passwords appear in data breaches.

04

Cross-platform support

Works on all your browsers and devices.

Trusted Password Managers

Bitwarden

Free & Open Source

1Password

Premium, family plans

Dashlane

VPN included

KeePassXC

Free, local storage

All of these are reputable options. The best manager is the one you'll actually use consistently.

// SECOND_LAYER

Two-Factor Authentication

Even with a strong password, 2FA blocks 99.9% of automated attacks. It's your safety net.

1

Enter Password

Something you know

2

Verify Code

Something you have (phone, key)

Access Granted

Both factors verified

RECOMMENDED

Authenticator Apps

Apps like Google Authenticator, Authy, or Microsoft Authenticator generate time-based codes that change every 30 seconds.

Works offline
Can't be intercepted like SMS
Free to use
MOST SECURE

Hardware Security Keys

Physical USB or NFC keys like YubiKey. You plug it in or tap it to verify. Phishing-resistant.

Impossible to phish
No codes to type
Costs $25-50
ACCEPTABLE

SMS Text Codes

Codes sent via text message. Better than nothing, but vulnerable to SIM swapping attacks.

Easy to set up
! Can be intercepted
! Requires cell service
WEAKEST

Email Codes

Codes sent to your email. Only slightly better than no 2FA since email itself is often poorly protected.

Better than nothing
Email often unprotected
Circular dependency

Always Save Your Backup Codes

When setting up 2FA, you'll receive backup codes. Store them in a safe place (password manager, safe deposit box). If you lose your phone and backup codes, you could be permanently locked out of your accounts.

// BREACH_HISTORY

Major Password Breaches

Real incidents showing why password security matters. Your data may already be compromised.

2024

RockYou2024

10 billion passwords compiled from thousands of breaches over 20 years. The largest password compilation ever leaked.

Lesson: Check haveibeenpwned.com to see if your data is included.
2021

LinkedIn

700 million user records scraped and sold on hacker forums. Email addresses linked to names, phone numbers, and workplace data.

Lesson: Data from breaches gets combined to build detailed profiles for targeted attacks.
2019

Collection #1-5

2.2 billion email/password combinations aggregated from years of breaches. Still being used for credential stuffing attacks today.

Lesson: Old breaches never die. Change passwords regularly, especially after breaches.
2013-2014

Yahoo

3 billion accounts compromised - every single Yahoo account. Passwords were poorly hashed, making them easy to crack.

Lesson: Even tech giants can fail at security. Never assume your data is safe.

Check If You've Been Compromised

Visit haveibeenpwned.com to check if your email appears in known data breaches. It's free and secure.

Check Your Email

// MYTH_BUSTERS

Password Myths Debunked

Common beliefs that actually make your passwords weaker. Click each myth to reveal the truth.

"Change passwords every 90 days"

The Truth:

Frequent mandatory changes lead to weaker passwords (Password1, Password2...). NIST now recommends changing only when breached. Use strong, unique passwords instead.

"Special characters make passwords secure"

The Truth:

P@ssw0rd! is still terrible. Length matters far more than complexity. A 20-character lowercase passphrase beats an 8-character "complex" password every time.

"Writing passwords down is always bad"

The Truth:

A strong, unique password written on paper in a locked drawer is more secure than a weak password you memorized. Physical access is harder than internet access. But use a password manager instead.

"I'm not important enough to be hacked"

The Truth:

Most attacks are automated and target everyone. Bots don't care who you are - they test billions of credentials looking for any match. Your Netflix account can be sold, your email used for spam, your identity stolen.

"Browser password saving is unsafe"

The Truth:

Modern browsers encrypt passwords well. Chrome, Firefox, Safari all offer decent protection IF your device is secured. A dedicated password manager is better, but browser saving beats reusing weak passwords.

// ACTION_ITEMS

Your Security Checklist

Complete these steps to dramatically improve your password security. Check off items as you go.

Progress

0 / 10

// QUICK_REFERENCE

Remember These Rules

🔑

16+ Characters

Minimum length

🚫

Never Reuse

One password per site

🔐

Use a Manager

Let it remember for you

📱

Enable 2FA

On every account