Password Complexity Recommendations: xez and pAxat8Um or P4$$w0rd!!!!

Abstract : The password-cracking world is in turmoil. Many new technologies, such as graphic cards (e.g. NVidia CUDA or ATI/AMD GPUs), make easily available computing power that was previously reserved to very rich organizations. Many efficient tools followed using these technologies, for better or for worse. This report illustrates the type of performance one can obtain from a generic $2,000 computer and the lessons to learn on password length for different web sites and software programs. The larger conclusion is that an 11-character password, containing uppercase-lowercase-digits symbols, is the ideal length for the foreseeable future when no other information is available. More characters are always better; less can be dangerous in the current state of the technology. The use of a password manager, a program that generates and manages strong, complex passwords, is strongly recommended.