Password Tips

Tips for Creating and Remembering Strong Passwords

1. Avoid Personal Information: Passwords should not include easily accessible personal information such as birth dates, names of family members, pets, or favorite sports teams. This kind of information can often be found on social media, making it easier for someone to guess the password.
2. Avoid Common Passwords: Common passwords and sequences like “password”, “123456”, “qwerty”, “admin”, and “letmein” are often the first ones attackers try.
3. Use Phrases: A password phrase can make a password more secure and easier to remember. For example, a sentence like “I have worked at MHSL since 2016” could be used as a password such as “Ihw@MHSL$2016”. Another phrase and password example:  I received my High School diploma from Blaine High School in 2010 – Password: IrmH$DfBH$in2010.  Hint: You can substitute a or 0 with the @ sign, s with $, and 1, l, or i with ! to add special symbol to your password.
4. Use a Password Manager: Password managers can create and store complex passwords, which can be a good option if remembering multiple complex passwords is difficult. Passportal, KeePass, BitWarden, and LastPass are widely used password managers and are available online.
5. Avoid Real Words: Passwords that use real words, even if they include numbers or special characters, can be vulnerable to dictionary attacks. Using non-standard spelling, deliberate typos, or made-up words can help avoid this.

At Mitchell Hamline, we require that the password must be at least 12 characters long and meet the following Requirements