So I just found out my 'strong' password was a famous movie quote...

For like two years, my main password was 'MayTheForceBeWithYou2022' because I thought adding numbers made it safe. The tip-off was when my bank's new system flagged it as 'commonly used' and refused it. I checked a password strength site and it said it would crack in under 4 seconds... I felt so dumb. I always told my family to use long passwords, but I never checked if mine were actually good. What's a better way to make a long password that isn't just a famous line?

3 comments

3 Comments

cooper.phoenix1mo ago

Honestly, that exact thing happened to me with a Lord of the Rings quote. It feels so obvious after the fact, right? What I do now is take a line and swap letters for numbers and symbols in a weird way, like maybe "M@yTh3F0rc3B3W1thY0u" but also add some random words only I would know.

grace_bailey1mo ago

My cousin's wifi password is just "password123" and honestly it's fine. Cooper.phoenix, I get the idea but who's really trying that hard to hack into my Netflix?

averywilliams1mo ago

I mean, is anyone really trying to brute force your Netflix or your email account? Unless you're a CEO or have some serious secrets, most hackers are going after big targets, not random people's streaming services. And honestly, swapping letters for numbers in a quote still makes it guessable if someone knows you're a Star Wars fan. Your ex or that weird coworker probably knows the quote already, so now they just have to try a few variations. Feels like overkill for something that doesn't really matter.