A password with 8 characters, consisting of Upper case/Lower Case &0-9

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the security of passwords, specifically focusing on 8-character passwords that include upper case letters, lower case letters, and numbers. Participants explore the effectiveness of such passwords for online and offline security, as well as the characteristics of strong passwords.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant calculates that there are 221,919,451,578,090 possible combinations for an 8-character password using upper case, lower case, and numbers, suggesting that while it is secure for online use, it may not be safe for offline use due to higher guessing rates.
  • Another participant proposes a specific password composed of names, arguing that it is memorable and could be strengthened with punctuation, although some systems may not support longer passwords.
  • A later reply introduces the idea of using zero-based proof systems as a method for password security, where users answer personal questions that vary with each login.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the security of 8-character passwords, particularly regarding their safety for online versus offline use. There is no consensus on the best approach to password creation, with various suggestions and opinions presented.

Contextual Notes

Some assumptions about the randomness of character sequences and the capabilities of different systems are not fully explored. The discussion also touches on the limitations of password length in certain contexts.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals interested in password security, cybersecurity professionals, and those looking for strategies to create strong, memorable passwords may find this discussion relevant.

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I am trying to delete this thread but I am not sure how to - sorry
 
Last edited:
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Q. "A password with 8 characters, consisting of Upper case/Lower Case &0-9"
A. 221,919,451,578,090 combinations.

Provided the characters were a random sequence, (not a word in a dictionary), 8 is safe for on-line login : it would take centuries to try all the possible combinations online.
8 characters not safe for offline use though, where more guesses-per-second are possible : crackable within a day.
 
Last edited:
A password with 8 characters and a capital?

Mickey Minnie Pluto Huey Louie Dewey Donald Goofy Sacramento
 
D H said:
A password with 8 characters and a capital?

Mickey Minnie Pluto Huey Louie Dewey Donald Goofy Sacramento

this is actually one of the best passwords long and easy to remember and would be even better with some punctuation to further improve its strength. The only problem is that some systems don't support really long passwords.

My favorite though is zero-based proof systems where you answer questions you know the answer to but no one else does and it varies each time you log on.
 

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