MEPX
Chapter 2 of 10All chapters
  1. 1Who is actually after you
  2. 2Passwords
  3. 3Two factor authentication
  4. 4Phishing and social engineering
  5. 5Updates and patching
  6. 6Encryption
  7. 7Networks and public wifi
  8. 8Malware and ransomware
  9. 9Access and least privilege
  10. 10When something goes wrong

Chapter 2 of 10

Passwords

Length, uniqueness and a manager.

What matters

Length beats complexity. A long passphrase of ordinary words is stronger and easier to remember than a short string of symbols, because each character multiplies the search space.

  • Uniqueness matters as much as strength: one breach must not unlock everything.
  • Forced monthly rotation makes passwords worse, and modern guidance dropped it.

Use a manager

A password manager generates and stores a different long password per site, so you memorise one. It also refuses to fill credentials on a lookalike domain, which quietly blocks phishing.