Generate Random Passwords Safely: Strength, Entropy, and Storage

Strong passwords come from strong randomness and good hygiene. Here’s a concise workflow you can trust for personal and team accounts.

What “Strong” Really Means

• Length over cleverness: Prefer 16–24 characters minimum. Longer if high‑value.
• Entropy: Randomly selected characters/words beat human‑made patterns.
• Uniqueness: Every account gets a different password.

Recommended Approaches

• Password manager: Use a reputable manager to generate/store unique passwords per site. Enable automatic rotation where supported.
• Passphrases: Four to six truly random words (e.g., from EFF lists) can be both strong and memorable. Avoid movie quotes or idioms.

Generation Tips

• Use built‑in generators or CSPRNG‑backed tools. Avoid homegrown scripts unless they use secure libraries.
• For passphrases, include separators and optional casing/number tweaks if site policy requires.

Storage and Recovery

• Protect the vault: Long, unique master password plus 2FA.
• Recovery codes: Store offline in a safe place.
• Team secrets: Use shared vaults with fine‑grained access rather than sending passwords over chat/email.

What to Avoid

• Reusing passwords across sites
• Short passwords justified by frequent rotation
• Storing passwords in plaintext docs or browsers without a vault

FAQs

Is a passphrase better? Often, yes—if the words are chosen randomly. It’s the randomness and length that make it strong, not obscurity.

Should I rotate passwords regularly? Rotate when there’s suspicion or compromise, or per strict policy. Focus on unique, strong passwords with 2FA rather than frequent mandated changes.