Secure Passwords

Strong Passwords & Account Security

A strong password is one of the most effective ways to protect your personal and business information from cybercriminals. Weak passwords can be guessed in seconds, while strong passwords can take years to crack.

When creating a password, use a combination of:

• Uppercase letters (A-Z)

• Lowercase letters (a-z)

• Numbers (0-9)

• Special characters (! @ # $ % ^ & *)

Avoid using:

• Your name or family members' names

• Birthdays or anniversaries

• Phone numbers

• Common words such as "password", "welcome", or "admin"

• The same password across multiple websites

Examples

❌ Weak Passwords

• password123

• qwerty123

• Mitchell1985

• Brisbane123

✅ Strong Passwords

• M0unt@in!River#2026

• Blue$Kangaroo7!Coffee

• Tr@vel4Beach&Sunrise

• Secur3!Home#Office2026

An even better approach is to use a passphrase—a series of random words that are easy for you to remember but difficult for others to guess.

✅ Strong Passphrase Examples

• PurpleCoffeeTrain!Ocean42

• HappyKoala$Reads7Books

• Sunset!River@Mountain88

For maximum protection, we recommend using a password manager to generate and securely store unique passwords for every account. Combined with Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), this significantly reduces the risk of your accounts being compromised. Need help securing your accounts? MC ICT can assist with password managers, Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), Microsoft 365 security, and cyber security best practices for home users and small businesses.