Random Password
Nowadays, everything we do is online. This means that we create numerous accounts, not just for banking, but also for access to different websites, shops, and stores.
What this means is that we often have a number of different passwords floating around. However, as humans, we are notoriously bad at coming up with unique or random passwords.
Instead, we’re more likely to use the same password or variations on a theme. What this means is that we open ourselves up to the possibility of getting hacked, and having our data stolen or worse.
But, there are ways around this issue. Now, there are a number of random password generators out there. These can be used to create those all-important random passcodes to help keep you safe when online. Keep reading to find out all that you need to know.
What is a random password generator?
Before we get too far in, let’s take a look at what exactly this password generator is. Essentially, it is just a tool that creates or generates random passcodes for you to use.
Instead of you having to come up with these yourself, this tool does it for you. That way you can use a different password on each of the different sites and accounts you have.
Random password generators make sure to use random combinations of letters, numbers, and special characters to create passwords that can’t be cracked easily.
It means that you can quickly have a different password for each of your sites without fearing that once someone cracks one password they will have access to everything.
How to use a generator
It may sound a little intimidating to use a random password generator, but nothing could be further from the truth.
These generators, like ours at Password Hero, are very easy to use. All you need to do is select the type of password you need to create. This will vary depending on the site you’re at, and how secure you want it to be.
You can choose whether you want upper case, lower case, numbers, and special symbols to all be included in the password.
Alternatively, you can just use one of these filters or a mixture of them. It’s also easy to select the password length simply by adjusting the slider to the number of characters for the password.
You can also opt to use a passphrase or even a PIN if that’s what you need. Good random generators will let you know how random or strong the password is so that you know it’s going to work for your needs.
Are random password generators really random?
All that being said, many people do still wonder whether random generators are actually as random as they claim. This is slightly more complicated to answer.
They do have a high level of randomness, but it’s not as truly random as rolling a pair of dice for example, where it is impossible to predict the outcome.
That being said, random generators are still going to produce some great results in terms of randomness. As a starting point, the algorithm uses a number as a seed.
This is then processed and a second seed number is created. At this point, the algorithm then cycles through all other possible numbers so that the first number doesn’t show up until all others have been cycled through.
Depending on the level of encryption, this is a lot of numbers to get through.
What this means is that the password is going to be pseudo-random. Even though it’s not truly random, it’s going to be very hard for a hacker to back trace this number to actually find the password.
For the average user, this pseudo-random algorithm is more than enough to create passwords for everyday online activities.
However, there are some generators that use extra features to even further ensure hacking is not possible. Some will use the motion of a mouse or add random characters into the password.
There are a number of settings and ways that you can ensure that the password is as random as possible too, and these are outlined below.
Making a good random password
If you want to ensure that your password is completely random, then there are a number of things you should be doing during the creation process.
One of the first things to generate random passwords is considering their length. The longer the password is, the more random it will be.
A good length for a password to be is 12 characters long. This means that the generator will have more options to choose from, which means that there are more possible outcomes. All of this makes it harder for a hacker.
You should also make sure that you utilize all the different options on the generator.
By only using upper or lower case letters, you reduce the number of password options that can be created. The smaller the number of options, the more likely it can be guessed or hacked.
By incorporating letters, numbers, and special characters, the options dramatically increase, improving the randomness.
It’s also a good idea to not use actual words, especially those that are in the dictionary. Even a combination of dictionary words should be avoided. In fact, any word is obvious and much easier to crack than a random mix of letters.
Finally, obvious substitutions should also be avoided. What we mean by this is inserting numbers that are similar in shape to a letter. For example, exchanging o for 0.
Doing this doesn’t make the password stronger simply because it is still really obvious.
Generators can reduce randomness too
While it is still vastly better to use a generator to create a random password, by their very nature, they can also produce an easy password.
Due to the fact that it is going to be random, there is the chance that a password that is a word will pop up. Or one that is a simple string of numbers such as 22222 may be generated.
Most generators will remove these types of passwords if they come up, but it’s still important to know this could be a possibility.
However, as we mentioned above, you can get around this by making sure that you select all the different character options to be included in your password.
If you select only letters or only numbers when creating your password, this is where this issue likely will arise.
Finally, the longer the password, the better, and the more random, it will be. Many generators will prompt you to do this, or at least indicate the strength of the password when the first one is created.
Because of this feature, you can simply change the settings and click to make a new password that’s more random.
Why use a random password generator
There are many reasons why you should consider using a generator when creating passwords, rather than just trying to create them by yourself. Some of these excellent plus points include the following:
Randomness
As we’ve mentioned numerous times, the first and foremost reason to use one is to get a random password. You will always end up with something more random when using a generator.
This is because it’s not influenced by any favorite numbers or specific phrases. Take all these out of the equation, and you’ve got a much better password moving forward.
Safety and security
For those worrying about security, this is the way to go. It’s all about staying safe online and a random password generator can help you do just that. By using its features to generate passwords, all your details and accounts can be held under different secure passwords.
Those passwords will also be totally random, so hackers will be unable to use information about you to try to guess your password.
For those concerned about the trustworthiness of the generator itself, it’s important to check that it has SSL encryption in place and doesn’t keep logs. In that way, you will know that your passwords aren’t getting stored for the generator to use later.
With good encryption in place, hackers can’t get into the generator either and will be unable to get your passwords that way.
Speed
This is also important. It can take a bit of time to come up with random passwords all on your own, especially if you have to create multiple ones.
With a random password generator, the process is virtually instant. All you need to do is set the password parameters and click go. It’s that quick. Once the password has been created, it’s a matter of moments to copy and paste it into the website sign-up section and go on from there.
Maintaining passcode security
One of the biggest issues with having passwords is keeping them safe and secure. Even with a random passcode, a hacker could, if they got hold of the password, still enter all your accounts.
So, it’s important to make sure these random passcodes are kept secure at all times. There are a few must-do tips we have here to ensure password security at all times.
Different passwords
First up is something almost everyone has been or indeed is, guilty of, and that’s using the same password for a number of different sites.
This is a definite way to fall foul of a hacker as they can then get into everything. So, it’s therefore important to increase your security level by having different passwords across each site.
This is where it’s important to have a number of randomly generated passwords that can then be used across those different accounts. Random generators are ideally suited to that, which is why we recommend using one.
Strong random passwords
Following on from this, it’s important to create something that can’t be guessed. The more complex a password is, the better it will hold up under attack.
This means you should not be including actual words, or use a date of birth or other specific date or number that a hacker could guess. As we’ve mentioned, adding in special characters and having passwords over 12 characters long are the best ways to create uncrackable, random passcodes.
Password managers
However, with having so many genuinely random passcodes, it can be really hard to memorize them all. In fact, it is almost impossible. This is especially true when they are strings of numbers and letters with no actual attachment or relationship to each other.
This can be a massive problem and one that often discourages people from creating these random passwords in the first place. Instead of writing them down or trying to memorize these strange strings, it’s simply easier to choose a password we know and remember.
But, there’s another option. Simply use these more complex passwords and have them all remembered. This is where password managers come in handy.
These tools will securely store all your created passwords so that you don’t have to remember them. Many generators will have a manager as part of their system so that you can do all of this in the same place.
Verify passwords
For total security, you should also make sure that you verify the randomness of a password. Most good generators will do this automatically. In that way, you can redo a password if you feel it doesn’t come up to standard.
Update and change random passcodes
Finally, it’s important to change your passwords every so often. If you feel that there may have been a breach, you should change the password right away.
When you do this, you should always use a random passcode generator. You should also go through and check the randomness of your older passwords using our Password Hero, changing them if the generator does not deem them random enough.
Final thoughts
With everything online, it’s more important than ever before to keep your online data and presence safe. By using generators designed to create random passcodes, you’re in a much better position to remain secure online.
If you’re ready to take that step, then take a look at our Password Hero generator and get instant random passcodes to use online.