How do you really, really, create the strongest password? This has been the question that many people have asked for a number of years now - and even more often in the recent future with hacks galore happening. So what’s the absolute best way to create a solid password that nobody can mess with?

The GCHQ (a major UK intelligence agency) has created a public notice letting everyone know the best way to keep passwords safe - and it may not be the way that you think.

The Recommended Combination

What does the GCHQ recommend? The first step is to erase all default passwords. Next, choose a password consisting of three random words. According to the government organization, there's no need to create a password from complex words or words you don't use regularly.

The organization also recommends using passwords that are not stored in plain text but rather through encryption methods. This means using a password manager that does not store passwords in plain text. This shouldn’t be an issue, since there are more than a handful of password managers out there that use encryption methods.

How secure and reliable is the advice from the GCHQ? This is the government organization made notorious through Edward Snowden, so the advice is probably pretty reliable. Then again, some people are wary of the GCHQ’s advice for the exact same reason. Should people trust a government organization that has notoriously gathered information about people? It’s a hard nut to crack either way you look at it, but changing your passwords regularly is the best way to make sure that your accounts aren’t hacked - no matter what those accounts might be.

Remembering Passwords

If you choose random words that are funny or silly enough (or words that you won’t forget), it shouldn’t be too hard to remember a password that you pick - and the GCHQ does recommend relying on your own brain or a document kept on your computer to remember your passwords instead of using a password manager. If you do use a manager (as mentioned above), make sure it’s one that doesn’t use plain text, but your brain is still a better storage tool.

The methods put forth by the GCHQ to remember passwords definitely seems reliable - more reliable than most other methods, and it’s certainly worth a shot. In the age and time of passwords being hacked left and right, it never hurts to choose a password that is hard to crack, and one that is changed regularly. In fact, that’s probably the best advice that you can take away from this article.

The Best Takeaway Advice

Whether or not you plan on using the new password advice put out by the GCHQ is up to you, but it’s really a good idea to make sure that all passwords you use individually (and all that your company uses too) are changed regularly. This is, by far, the best way to make sure that your passwords and systems are safe.