Protecting your information should be a priority, and creating a strong password is not as complicated as it may seem. But what makes a strong password memorable but not guessable? The strongest password looks like a sequence of random characters. One way to create this sequence is to choose a pass phrase instead of a password. For example, “Chg is good!” is a pass phrase. To make this phrase even stronger, sprinkle numbers or symbols for letters inside it or abbreviate words. The resulting phrase might look like: Ch8g i$ G00d!

Another way to create a strong password is to make an acronym from a line in your favorite song, saying, or poem. For example, the password tEBGtW! represents “The early bird gets the worm!” Since University Directory passwords expire after 180 days, you’ll have to come up with two strong passwords each year. To keep it memorable, your next password could be designed from a different line in your favorite song or poem.

For a password to be compliant with university requirements, it must include 8-32 characters, at least one uppercase letter, at least one lowercase letter, and at least one digit or punctuation character. Spaces can be used, but not as the first or last character.

Your password does not have to be a jumble of meaningless letters, numbers, and symbols. Choose something that is meaningful to you and be creative! For more information about university password requirements, please visit www.password.umd.edu.