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How to Create Strong Passwords and Manage Them Safely

Category: Security Basics · Audience: Client · Updated: March 2026

Why passwords matter, what makes a good one, and how to manage them without sticky notes or spreadsheets.

Why Passwords Matter

Your password is the front door to your work email, files, financial systems, and client data. A weak or reused password is like leaving that door unlocked. Most data breaches start with a compromised password.

What Makes a Strong Password?

A strong password is:

At least 14 characters long — longer is better. Each additional character makes it exponentially harder to crack.
Unique to each account — never reuse a password across different sites or services.
Random — avoid real words, names, dates, company names, or keyboard patterns (e.g. qwerty, 123456).
Generated by a password manager — let software create and remember it for you.

What to Avoid

Personal information — birthdays, pet names, kids' names, street addresses.
Common substitutions — P@ssw0rd is not clever; attackers check these first.
Dictionary words — even obscure ones are in cracking dictionaries.
Patterns — Company2024!, Summer2026, Welcome1.
Reusing passwords — if one service is breached, every account using that password is compromised.

The Simple Solution: Use a Password Manager

A password manager (like Keeper) generates strong random passwords and stores them in an encrypted vault. You only need to remember one master password — the manager handles everything else.

How it works:

You create one strong master password — this unlocks your vault.
The manager generates unique passwords for every account — 16+ characters, random, impossible to guess.
Auto-fill handles login — the browser extension or app fills in your credentials automatically.
Sync across devices — your vault is available on your computer, phone, and tablet.

Tip: Your master password is the one password you actually need to memorise. Make it long and memorable — a random phrase like "correct horse battery staple" is stronger than a short complex password like "P@ss1!".

What About Writing Passwords Down?

Using a password manager eliminates the need to write passwords down. If you must write down your master password during initial setup, store it in a locked drawer or safe — not on a sticky note on your monitor, under your keyboard, or in a document on your computer.

What About Saving Passwords in Your Browser?

Browser-saved passwords (Chrome, Edge, Safari) are convenient but offer weaker security than a dedicated password manager. They don't enforce strong generation, don't work well across platforms, and are more vulnerable if your computer is compromised. Use Keeper instead.

When to Change Your Password

Immediately if you suspect it's been compromised.
Immediately if you're notified of a data breach involving a service you use.
When prompted by your organisation's security policy.
Not on an arbitrary schedule — frequent forced rotation leads to weaker passwords. A strong, unique password that hasn't been compromised doesn't need regular changing.

Need help? Call 07 3523 3660 or submit a ticket at atssystems.com.au/support/ticket/