Protecting your accounts requires strong, modern passwords. Discover 10 practical tips for creating and securing your digital access in 2025.
Thought your 8-character, completely random password, with upper and lower case letters, numbers, and special characters, was secure? By the time you’ve thought about the answer, it’s probably already been cracked, according to a January 2025 study by Specops. Check out our 10 tips and best practices for adopting a strong password, which should deter most hackers.
1. Use sufficient length
A strong password relies primarily on its length. A short password is broken much more quickly by automated attacks. Specops notes, for example, that a 12-character password, composed entirely of lowercase letters, already takes 13 days to crack. By choosing at least 12 characters, and ideally 16 or more, the complexity increases exponentially. A long password is not enough on its own, but it does form a difficult first barrier for an attacker to overcome. The longer the password, the more resistant it is to intrusion attempts.
2. Mix different character types
A password consisting solely of letters or numbers, however, is easy for malware to guess. Introducing uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special symbols significantly increases overall strength, and is now almost mandatory. This variety makes combinations much harder to predict. A judicious mix provides better protection against brute-force or dictionary-based hacking attempts.
3. Avoid obvious and personal elements
A password should never contain personal and/or obvious information. A first name, date of birth, or city name are very risky choices, as this information is often found online. Logical sequences of numbers or letters are also easily detected by attackers, even when they are intended to be complex: a password like Marseille@123!, which would pass most checks, would be instantly compromised, explains Specops in its study. Focusing on originality and avoiding predictable patterns drastically reduces the chances of a password being discovered through a simple targeted search or through social engineering.
4. Use passphrases
A passphrase is a great alternative to traditional passwords. By combining several unrelated words, it’s possible to create a long, complex, and memorable code. For example, combining three or four common words chosen in unexpected ways significantly enhances security. Adding numbers or punctuation adds an extra layer of protection while making it easier to remember in everyday life.
The CNIL also offers a tool to this effect which helps you generate a strong password from a phrase of your choice.
5. Never reuse your passwords
A unique password for each account provides much more effective protection. When a password is compromised on one site, other accounts remain intact. Reuse encourages cross-site attacks, where a leak leads to access to multiple services. Choosing a different password for each platform reduces overall risk and prevents cascading effects following increasingly frequent security breaches on an online service.
6. Change critical passwords regularly
The most sensitive accounts, such as those related to your finances or professional communications, require extra attention. Even in the absence of a known leak, periodically renewing your password helps prevent future compromises. Rotating passwords every six to twelve months limits the impact of potential stolen credentials; some companies even force their employees to change them regularly. This habit reduces the length of time a stolen password can be used by a malicious third party.
7. Use a password manager
Memorizing multiple, complex, and unique passwords for each service can be extremely difficult. A password manager allows you to securely store all sensitive information. With this type of tool, it becomes possible to generate strong passwords without having to remember them. Using a password manager also reduces the risk of using simplified variations or codes that are easily predictable by an attacker.
8. Enable two-factor authentication
A password, no matter how strong, is only a first layer of protection and is never foolproof. Two-factor authentication (2FA) adds an additional verification based on something the user has or knows, such as smartphone validation or a specific code. Even if the password is leaked, an attacker without the second factor will not be able to access the protected account, making intrusion much more difficult.
9. Use passkeys for enhanced security
Passkeys, or access keys, offer a more secure alternative to traditional passwords. This system uses a pair of cryptographic keys to authenticate the user, without ever transmitting a secret that could be exploited in the event of a leak. This technology makes phishing or password interception attacks ineffective. Passkeys simplify the login experience and significantly increase the level of security on compatible services. Many services already offer them.
10. Adopt a monitoring strategy for your accounts
Account security isn’t just about strong passwords. Regularly monitoring your online activity can quickly detect any suspicious attempts. Reviewing login logs, enabling unknown login alerts, or monitoring recent accesses increases vigilance and creates a strong security routine.
