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The overlooked importance of password length
Password length is one of the most underestimated aspects of online security. Many people focus on complexity adding symbols, numbers, and uppercase letters but overlook the role length plays in resisting attacks.
In reality, the mathematics behind password cracking shows that each additional character dramatically increases the time and computing power needed to break into your account. With hackers relying on brute force and password-cracking software, choosing the right password length can be the difference between your data being stolen in minutes and your accounts staying safe for centuries.
The mathematics of brute force attacks
To understand why password length matters, it helps to look at brute force attacks. In these attacks, a computer system attempts every possible combination of characters until it finds the correct password. The difficulty of this attack is measured in terms of possible combinations.
For example, let’s say you are using only lowercase letters. That gives you 26 possible characters. An eight-character password would have:
26^8 = 208,827,064,576 possible combinations.
That may look like a huge number, but modern password cracking tools can process billions of guesses per second. This is why an eight-character password can be cracked in around four minutes.
Now, consider what happens when you add just one extra character:
26^9 = 5,429,503,678,976 possible combinations.
The time required to crack the password increases significantly. Add another character, and it grows exponentially. When you mix in uppercase letters, numbers, and symbols, the character set grows to around 95 possibilities per position. This makes the total number of combinations even more staggering, but again, length remains the most important factor.
Why complexity alone isn’t enough
Many online services require a minimum of eight characters with at least one capital letter, one number, and one symbol. While this seems secure, the reality is that attackers know these patterns. Hackers build rules into their cracking tools that prioritise common substitutions like “@” for “a” or “1” for “l”. This reduces the effective randomness of your password.
For example, “P@ssw0rd!” meets most complexity requirements but is one of the weakest possible passwords because it is predictable. On the other hand, a longer but simpler password such as “yellowbutterflysunset2024” provides far more security. Length beats complexity because the sheer number of possible combinations makes brute force impractical.
Time-to-crack examples
A breakdown of how quickly passwords of different lengths can be cracked using current technology:
- 8 characters: around 4 minutes
- 9 characters: around 6 hours
- 10 characters: around 2 weeks
- 12 characters: around 226 years
This illustrates exponential growth in security as length increases. Each character added multiplies the total possibilities by the size of the character set, creating a near-impossible challenge for attackers.
The problem with short passwords
The convenience of short passwords is what makes them dangerous. People want something easy to remember and type quickly. This leads to choices like birthdays, pet names, or dictionary words, all of which are extremely vulnerable to dictionary attacks where hackers use lists of common passwords instead of trying every combination.
Moreover, with data breaches being so common, short passwords reused across multiple platforms give attackers immediate access to multiple accounts once a single service is compromised.
How long should your password be?
Security experts generally recommend at least 12 characters for online accounts, with more being better. A good rule of thumb is to use the longest password a service will allow. Some platforms still cap passwords at 16 or 20 characters, while others allow 64 or more.
Instead of memorising a random jumble of letters and numbers, you can create long but memorable passphrases. For example:
- “MyCatSleepsOnTheWindowEveryDay2025”
- “ChocolateCoffeeSunriseHappyRain”
These are significantly harder to brute force but still easy for you to remember.
Password managers: the practical solution
One of the biggest barriers to using long passwords is memory. Most people have dozens of online accounts, and remembering unique 16-character strings for each is unrealistic. This is where password managers like NordPass become essential.
A password manager generates strong, random, and long passwords for every account you use. Instead of memorising all of them, you only need to remember one master password. This eliminates the temptation to reuse short, weak passwords across multiple services.
NordPass also offers features such as:
- Automatic password filling across devices
- Secure storage of sensitive information
- Password health checks to warn you of weak or reused credentials
- Data breach monitoring to alert you if your login details appear in a leak
Using a manager ensures you can take advantage of long, random passwords without compromising convenience.
How password cracking is evolving
The speed at which computers can test passwords is increasing. Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) and even cloud-based systems can test billions of guesses per second. Attackers also use pre-computed hash databases, known as rainbow tables, to accelerate the process. This means passwords that were once considered safe for decades can now be cracked in days or even hours.
Quantum computing is another concern for the future. While still in early development, quantum processors may eventually reduce the effectiveness of current cryptographic protections. This makes long passwords even more important, as they offer more resistance to future advances in computing.
Other threats beyond brute force
While brute force is one of the most direct methods of password cracking, it is not the only one. Phishing attacks, keyloggers, and social engineering often bypass password length entirely. However, reducing the number of attack vectors by ensuring your password is nearly impossible to brute force is still an essential step in overall security hygiene.
Combined with two-factor authentication (2FA), long passwords provide a much stronger defence against unauthorised access. Even if an attacker somehow learns your password, a secondary authentication method such as an SMS code, authenticator app, or security key can prevent them from logging in.
Building better password habits
Adopting stronger password practices does not need to be overwhelming. A few simple steps can significantly improve your online safety:
- Use at least 12–16 characters in every password.
- Avoid predictable substitutions like “P@ssw0rd”.
- Use unique passwords for every account, especially banking and email.
- Rely on a password manager such as NordPass to generate and store them.
- Enable two-factor authentication wherever possible.
- Regularly check for breaches and update compromised credentials immediately.
These habits dramatically reduce your risk of account compromise.
Password length and the future of security
As technology evolves, password length will continue to be one of the most important safeguards for individuals and businesses. A password that seems unnecessarily long today may become the standard baseline tomorrow. With cybercrime on the rise and attackers constantly developing new methods, staying ahead means embracing security measures that scale with technological progress.
The simple act of adding a few extra characters to your password can mean the difference between being hacked in minutes and staying safe for generations. Tools like NordPass make this easier than ever, turning password length from a challenge into a simple habit.
Conclusion
Password length is not just a technical detail, it is the foundation of online safety. An eight-character password can be cracked in minutes, while a 12-character password can take centuries. Complexity adds some protection, but length multiplies it exponentially. In a world where brute force attacks, data breaches, and automated cracking tools are daily realities, adopting long and unique passwords is no longer optional.
By pairing long passphrases with a trusted password manager such as NordPass, and reinforcing your accounts with two-factor authentication, you can protect your digital life against evolving threats. The mathematics is clear: the longer your password, the safer you are.
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