passphrase

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passphrase

(operating system)

A string of words and characters that you type in to authenticate yourself. Passphrases differ from passwords only in length. Passwords are usually short - six to ten characters. Passphrases are usually much longer - up to 100 characters or more. Their greater length makes passphrases more secure. Modern passphrases were invented by Sigmund N. Porter in 1982.

Phil Zimmermann's popular encryption program PGP, for example, requires you to make up a passphrase that you then must enter whenever you sign or decrypt messages.

http://world.std.com/~reinhold/diceware.page.html.

This article is provided by FOLDOC - Free Online Dictionary of Computing (foldoc.org)

password

A secret word or code used to serve as a security measure against unauthorized access to data. It may be used to log onto a computer, mobile device, network or website or to activate newly installed software in the computer. However, without additional measures such as biometric identification, the computer can only verify the legitimacy of the password, not the legitimacy of the user (see biometrics).

Password Synonyms
"Passphrase," "passcode" and "PIN" are synonymous terms for this type of identity mechanism. A "key" is sometimes used as a synonym for password; however, this usually refers to a code generated to encrypt and decrypt messages or to unlock software. See PIN, one-time password, password manager, public key cryptography, password spraying and NCSC.

Password Tips from the NCSC

The following six password safety tips are from the U.S. National Counterintelligence and Security Center (NCSC):

1. CHANGE PASSWORD FREQUENTLY - The longer you use a password, the higher the risk.

2. USE GOOD PASSWORDS - Do not use persons, places or things that can be identified with you.

3. DON'T DISCLOSE YOUR PASSWORD - Your password is as valuable as the information it protects.

4. INSPECT YOUR DATA - If you suspect someone has tampered with your files, report it immediately.

5. NEVER LEAVE AN ACTIVE TERMINAL UNATTENDED - Always log out or lock your terminal before leaving it.

6. REPORT SUSPECTED COMPUTER ABUSE - Whether directed against you or not, abuse or misuse of your computer resources only hinders the timely completion of your tasks.

Check Your Password Strength

Go to www.howsecureismypassword.net and type in your password to find out just how secure it is.

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References in periodicals archive ?

But easyto-remember, hard-to-hack pass phrases are."

Password protectors: the meaning behind eight quotes from IT about your password

This iPhone app simply enters the ASCII pass phrase in input field and it will be converted into its hex equivalent.

DigiFun Games Announce the Releases of New iPhone App WEP Secure Pro - WEP/WPA Key Generator

An even better idea is to use pass phrases, and better yet, pass phrases made up of mixed symbols which will increase the complexity.

Penetration testing: why franchise systems need information security: regular penetration testing of applications and system security are necessities which will help mitigate the risk of a data breach and system compromises

Smoak said another technique is to use a pass phrase where the first letter of each word combines to become the password.

OPSEC: don't overlook the obvious. (Around the Fleet)

"Attempts to decrypt this file without the pass phrase were unsuccessful," the affidavit notes.

Big brother and the bookie: how the feds turned top-secret spy technology against the son of a Mafia don--and made a low-level wiseguy into a poster boy for the Fourth Amendment

PGP will now ask for a pass phrase. This phrase should be at least one sentence long, something that is not easy to guess and is likely to be recalled for years into the future.

Encryption algorithms in survival evidence

Why stop at passwords when you can make a pass phrase? 'Thund3r Sh0wers at Suns3t' is an example (just don't use this one!).

Practice password safety in four simple ways

According to ZyXEL, the ZyXEL setup is simplified through the use of the Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) system, with users no longer having to define a network identifier (SSID) and pass phrase to allow WPA security, with the product generating SSIDs and PIN codes automatically instead.

ZxXYEL introduces NWA570N Wireless N access point/bridge combo

Other features include an ability for multiple users to share one Macintosh computer while protecting their private files and maintaining their Internet settings and system preferences, 'Voiceprint Password' that enables users to log onto their computer by speaking a pass phrase and 'The Keychain', which manages each user's multiple IDs and stores them securely.

-Apple brings Mac OS 9 to the UK

In 2016, new guidelines issued by the US National Institute of Standards and Technology state that instead of passwords, pass phrases are advised since they are both easy to memorize for humans and their length makes breaches more difficult for computers.

Author of password rules regrets complicated recommendations

In addition to ditching the requirement for regular password changes, the NIST is also advising sites to allow users to create passwords that are at least 64 characters long and include spaces so people can create pass phrases that may be easier to remember and to ditch special character requirements.

NIST Advises Against Periodically Changing Passwords

Try using pass phrases, which are whole sentences, including spaces between words.