| Explanation & Hint:
A strong password is critical for securing accounts and protecting personal information online. From the options provided, the following three are properties of a strong password:
- Includes symbols: True. Including symbols (such as !, @, #, $, etc.) in your password adds complexity and makes it harder for automated tools to guess or brute-force.
- At least 10 characters long: True. A longer password is generally more secure. It increases the number of possible combinations, making it more resistant to guessing and brute-force attacks. The recommended length for strong passwords is often 12 to 16 characters, but at least 10 characters is a good baseline.
- A mix of upper and lower case: True. Using both upper and lower case letters in your password is another way to increase its complexity. This diversity in character casing adds additional possible combinations that a potential attacker must consider, further securing the password.
The other options are not advisable for creating strong passwords:
- Based on easy to remember items like birthdays: False. Personal information such as birthdays, anniversaries, and similar easily discoverable or guessable details should not be used in passwords. These are often the first things that attackers will try when attempting to breach an account.
- Long so that it can be reused on multiple sites: False. Using the same password across multiple sites increases your risk if one site is compromised. Each site should have a unique password to minimize the potential damage from a single data breach.
Thus, the properties of a strong password are that it includes symbols, is at least 10 characters long, and uses a mix of upper and lower case letters. |