I've been getting a lot of e-mail from readers relating to two recent Internet worms--Lovgate and Deloder--that attacked weak passwords. From these messages I've learned there's a lot of confusion about password security.

A few readers were confused about the difference between a user ID and a password. I'm talking about the latter. But many also wanted to know more about how to create a password that is less likely to be cracked--specifically, how to properly use numbers and letters within a password.

Need help?

Steganos's Security Suite includes a password manager than can generate secure passwords on the fly.

The secret is to create a seemingly random combination. You get extra credit if you incorporate case changes--alternating between uppercase and lowercase letters--and insert symbols and numbers between letters. As long as you remember a basic structure, you can create strong passwords quickly.

Here are some guidelines for making your passwords as secure as possible.

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Related items

• Article: What makes a good Password? (13 November 2002)
• Article: A Note on Proactive Password Checking (24 September 2002)
• Article: Basic security with passwords (24 May 2002)
• Article: Passwords - The Weak Link (1 April 2002)