The Most Difficult Password, Ranked

Choose the password you think is the most difficult!

Author: Gregor Krambs
Updated on May 4, 2024 06:25
In a digital world brimming with security threats, the strength of a password can be the thin line between safety and vulnerability. Understanding which types of passwords resist hacking attempts most effectively helps us all in creating better barriers against cyber intrusions. This insight proves invaluable as it guides individuals in fortifying their digital accounts against unauthorized access. Here, you have the opportunity to engage with a system that ranks passwords based on their complexity and security effectiveness. By participating, you contribute to a broader understanding of what makes a password robust. This community-driven evaluation not only helps inform others but also aids you in enhancing your own digital security strategies.

What Is the Most Difficult Password?

  1. 1
    121
    votes
    This password is difficult to crack because it includes a variety of different characters, making it harder for brute force attacks to succeed.
    A mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters such as !@#$%^&*()_+ is a type of password that includes a combination of various character types to enhance security.
    • Character Types: Uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters
    • Length: Usually 8 characters or more
    • Complexity: High
    • Resistance to Brute-Forcing: Strong
    • Resistance to Dictionary Attacks: Strong
  2. 2
    41
    votes
    A passphrase made up of multiple random words is difficult to guess and harder to crack than a shorter password.
    A long passphrase made up of random words is a technique for creating a strong password by concatenating multiple random words together. It is based on the concept that longer passwords are typically more secure.
    • Length: Generally, the longer the passphrase, the stronger it is.
    • Randomness: The words should be chosen randomly and have no direct correlation to the user.
    • Word Selection: A good source of word selection can be obtained from a dictionary or wordlist.
    • Word Separation: Spaces or hyphens are commonly used to separate the words.
    • Variation: Using capital letters, numbers, or special characters between words can add extra complexity.
  3. 3
    24
    votes
    This password is difficult to crack because it is not a commonly used word or phrase, making it harder to guess.
    The password is a combination of random numbers and letters that do not form a recognizable word. It is designed to enhance security by making the password less susceptible to dictionary-based attacks.
    • Character Set: Numbers (0-9) and letters (both uppercase and lowercase)
    • Length: Minimum of 8 characters
    • Randomness: The numbers and letters are randomly generated and do not follow any predictable pattern
    • No Word Formation: The combination of numbers and letters does not form a recognizable word in any language
    • Unpredictable Order: The sequence of numbers and letters does not follow any logical or predictable order
  4. 4
    20
    votes
    Using characters from different languages can make a password more complex and difficult to guess.
    A password with a mix of different language characters is a type of password that includes characters from multiple languages, making it more complex and challenging to crack. This password incorporates letters, numbers, and special characters from different scripts, such as Latin, Cyrillic, Chinese, Arabic, and more.
    • Length: At least 8 characters
    • Character Sets: Include characters from multiple languages and scripts
    • Variety: Incorporate uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters
    • Randomness: Generate the characters randomly to increase complexity
    • Unpredictability: Avoid common patterns or dictionary words
  5. 5
    22
    votes
    This password is hard to guess because it does not follow any common patterns, making it harder for a brute force attack to succeed.
    A password with a mix of upper and lower case letters, numbers, and symbols, with no discernible pattern
    • Length: At least 8 characters
    • Mix of Characters: Includes both upper and lower case letters, numbers, and symbols
    • No Discernible Pattern: No sequential or repeating patterns in the password
    • Avoid Common Words: Not based on easily guessable words or phrases
    • Randomness: Generated using a strong random number generator
  6. 6
    2
    votes
    Using symbols that are not commonly used in passwords can make them more difficult to crack.
    A password that includes a mix of keyboard symbols, such as @#$%&*
    • No Common Words: Should not include easily guessable words or phrases
    • Length: 8 characters or more
    • Character Set: Alphanumeric characters (a-z, A-Z, 0-9) and keyboard symbols (@#$%&*)
    • Symbol Diversity: At least one of each keyboard symbol included in the password
    • Case Sensitivity: Differentiating between uppercase and lowercase letters
  7. 7
    16
    votes
    Longer passwords are generally more secure, and using a mix of different characters can make them even harder to crack.
    A password that includes a mix of upper and lower case letters, numbers, and symbols, with a length of 20 or more characters
    • Length: 20 or more characters
    • Character types: Mix of upper and lower case letters, numbers, and symbols
    • Complexity: Includes diverse character types for enhanced security
    • Variety: Allows for a wide range of character possibilities
    • Related attacks: Resistant to brute force and dictionary attacks
  8. 8
    15
    votes
    This password is hard to guess because it does not follow any common patterns, making it harder for a brute force attack to succeed.
    A password that includes a mix of numbers and symbols, with no discernible pattern
    • Length: Minimum of 8 characters
    • Characters: Includes a mix of lowercase letters, uppercase letters, numbers, and symbols
    • Numbers: At least 2 numbers
    • Symbols: At least 2 symbols
    • Pattern: No discernible pattern or recognizable word
  9. 9
    11
    votes
    Longer passwords with a mix of different characters are generally more secure.
    A password that includes a mix of upper and lower case letters, numbers, symbols, and non-alphanumeric characters, with a length of 30 or more characters.
    • Character Types: Upper and lower case letters, numbers, symbols, non-alphanumeric characters
    • Length: 30 or more characters
    • Complexity: Includes a mix of different character types
    • Security: Provides high security against brute-force attacks
    • Resilience: Difficult to guess or crack
  10. 10
    5
    votes
    This password is difficult to guess because it includes multiple elements that do not follow any common pattern or sequence.
    A password that uses a combination of random words, numbers, and symbols is a highly secure form of password where the user combines multiple random words, numbers, and symbols to create a passphrase. This passphrase is used as a password for accessing various systems or accounts. It is considered one of the most difficult passwords to crack due to its length, complexity, and randomness.
    • Length: Varies (typically 12 characters or more)
    • Randomness: High
    • Combination: Words, numbers, symbols
    • Words: 2 or more
    • Numbers: At least 1 or more

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Ranking factors for difficult password

  1. Length
    Longer passwords are harder to crack. Aim for at least 12-16 characters.
  2. Complexity
    Use a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters to make it challenging for attackers to guess. Avoid easily guessable patterns like "1234" or "qwerty."
  3. Unpredictability
    Avoid using common or easily guessable phrases, such as "password," names, birthdates, or simple words from the dictionary. The less predictable the password, the better.
  4. Variation
    Don't use the same password across multiple accounts or platforms, as this makes it easier for hackers to compromise multiple accounts if they crack one password.
  5. Lack of Personal Information
    Refrain from using personal information like names, birthdates, pet names, or other easily discoverable information in your password.
  6. Updates and Rotation
    Regularly update and change your passwords to ensure that they continue to be secure, and not compromised over time.
  7. Use of passphrase
    Use a passphrase - a meaningful sentence or a combination of unrelated words with a mix of upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters - to create a complex and difficult to guess password.
  8. Absence of repetition
    Avoid repeating characters or patterns, such as "aaabbb" or "abcabc," as these are easier to crack.
  9. Use of Password Manager
    Use a password manager to generate and store complex, unique passwords for each of your accounts, while only requiring you to remember a single master password.
  10. Two-Factor Authentication
    Whenever possible, enable two-factor authentication (2FA) to add another layer of security to your accounts. With 2FA, an attacker would need more than just your password to access your account.

About this ranking

This is a community-based ranking of the most difficult password. We do our best to provide fair voting, but it is not intended to be exhaustive. So if you notice something or password is missing, feel free to help improve the ranking!

Statistics

  • 3272 views
  • 243 votes
  • 10 ranked items

Voting Rules

A participant may cast an up or down vote for each password once every 24 hours. The rank of each password is then calculated from the weighted sum of all up and down votes.

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More information on most difficult password

When it comes to online security, choosing a strong password is of utmost importance. A strong password can protect your personal information from cyber attacks and unauthorized access. However, with so many online accounts and services requiring passwords, it can be challenging to come up with unique and complex passwords for each one. According to security experts, the most difficult passwords are those that are long, unique, and contain a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters. These types of passwords are harder for hackers to crack using brute-force methods, which involve guessing every possible combination of characters until the correct password is found. Despite the importance of strong passwords, many people still use weak and easily guessable passwords such as "123456" or "password". This puts them at risk of identity theft and other types of cybercrime. To stay safe online, it's crucial to choose strong passwords and change them regularly.

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