Strong Passwords Matter More Than Ever

“Whiskers2089” is not strong.
Neither is “Summer2026!” or “CompanyName123.”

Most people aren’t careless—they’re just busy. The problem is anything easy to remember is often easy for attackers to guess, steal, or crack.

At Novatech, we’ve spent 30+ years helping businesses stay productive and protected. Strong passwords are still one of the simplest ways to reduce risk—but only if done the right way.

This guide gives practical rules your team can follow without turning password management into a full-time job.

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What Counts as a Weak Password?

A weak password is any password that can be guessed, predicted, or cracked quickly. Common examples include passwords that:

• Use only letters or only numbers

• Are too short

• Contain personal info (pet names, birthdays, street numbers, kids’ names, sports teams)

• Use common phrases (“password123,” “welcome1,” “qwerty”)

• Match the username or email

• Follow obvious patterns (CompanyName2026!, SeasonYear!, MonthYear!)

Your password is a key. A simple key is easy to copy.

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Why Using One Password Is a Big Problem

Reusing passwords across accounts is one of the fastest ways to turn a small problem into a major incident:

1. One website or vendor gets breached.

2. Your login is exposed.

3. Attackers try that same password on your email, banking, payroll, Microsoft 365, VPN, and other systems.

4. They get in, and it snowballs.

Even if the first hacked site seems unimportant, reused passwords can lead directly to critical accounts.

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Is It Safe to Let Browsers Store Passwords?

Convenient, yes—but risky for businesses.

Browser-stored passwords can be dangerous because:

• Compromised devices can expose stored passwords

• Shared computers increase the risk

• Staff may not realize what is saved and where

• It encourages reuse and weak habits

Use a dedicated password manager instead. It provides safer, more consistent password handling.

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How to Create Strong Passwords That Are Still Practical

Strong passwords don’t have to be random gibberish. They should be:

• Long

• Hard to guess

• Unique for each account

Practical standards:

• 12–16+ characters (longer is better)

• Unique per account

• Avoid personal info and predictable patterns

The Passphrase Approach

A passphrase is a string of unrelated words. Easy to remember, hard to crack.

Examples:

• platter-jockey-fences

• river-lamp-cactus

• orbit-window-hammer

Make it stronger by:

• Consistent capitalization

• Adding a symbol or two

• Avoiding common phrases people would actually say

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Do We Need to Change Passwords Every 90 Days?

Not always.

Modern best practices:

• Use MFA

• Use strong, unique passphrases

• Change passwords when there is a risk (phishing, suspected compromise, employee departure, vendor breach)

Regulated environments may still require scheduled changes. Novatech can help balance compliance with real-world risk.

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Use a Password Manager

Humans can’t remember dozens of unique, strong passwords. A password manager helps by:

• Generating strong passwords or passphrases automatically

• Storing them securely

• Sharing access safely

• Reducing password reuse

• Improving onboarding and offboarding

• Supporting MFA in the same workflow

With a password manager, your team only needs to remember one strong master password.

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Action Plan for Businesses

Step 1: Pick your standard

• Passphrases (recommended) for anything typed manually

• Password manager-generated passwords for all other accounts

Step 2: Turn on MFA everywhere it matters

Prioritize:

• Email (Microsoft 365, Google Workspace)

• Remote access (VPN, RDP alternatives)

• Payroll and banking

• Line-of-business apps

Step 3: Stop password reuse

Non-negotiable—reuse is how small problems become big ones.

Step 4: Train staff on top attack tricks

Focus on:

• Fake login pages

• Invoice and payment scams

• “Urgent” emails pushing hasty action

• MFA fatigue prompts (“approve, approve, approve”)

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Password FAQs

Q: What is the best password length?
A: 12–16+ characters is solid; longer is better for critical accounts.

Q: Are passphrases really secure?
A: Yes. Three or four unrelated words are typically harder to crack than short complex passwords.

Q: Is a password manager worth paying for?
A: Yes. High ROI in risk reduction, consistency, and time saved.

Q: If we use MFA, do passwords still matter?
A: Absolutely. MFA reduces risk, but strong, unique passwords limit exposure if one account is compromised.

Q: Can Novatech help set a password policy?
A: Yes. We can define requirements, recommendations, and rollout strategies without slowing your team down.

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Need Help?

Password problems rarely stay “small.” Novatech can help you:

• Reduce account takeovers

• Strengthen email security

• Roll out practical password and MFA standards