CWU Account Passwords

The Benefit of Passphrases 

Passphrases are a better alternative to traditional passwords. They are longer and more complex, making them significantly harder for attackers to crack. Additionally, passphrases are easier to remember as they often consist of a series of meaningful words or a sentence. 

  1. Enhanced Security: Passphrases are typically longer and more complex than traditional passwords, making them significantly harder for attackers to crack. This added length and complexity provides a stronger defense against brute-force attacks.
  2. Easier to Remember: Despite their length, passphrases can be easier to remember because they often consist of a series of words or a sentence that makes sense to the user. This reduces the likelihood of forgetting your credentials or needing to write them down.
  3. Versatility: Passphrases can incorporate a mix of upper and lower case letters, numbers, and special characters, making them versatile and adaptable to various security requirements without sacrificing memorability.

Please do not use any of the examples in this guidance as your actual password. They are simply for demonstrative purposes. 

Examples of Good Passphrases 

  1. "Anatomy-Jaybird7-Vineyard" 
  2. "untamed=ripcord=thirstily!" 
  3. "MyFavoriteBookIs1984ByOrwell" 

Examples of Bad Passphrases 

  1. "ILoveCats123" (too common and predictable) 
  2. "Mydogsnameisfido" (easy to guess and related to personal information) 
  3. ”P@ssword123P@ssword123" (ironically insecure and easily guessed) 

 Cartoon explaining how much harder it is to hack a string of words then a complicated string of numbers and letters.

 

Credit: xkcd.com

 

CWU News

Photo of Kendall Smart working with a student at the Disability Services office

CWU Disability Services aims to provide equitable access to education

February 23, 2026 by

Headshot of CWU Communications professor Jennifer Green.

CWU faculty member awarded Fulbright post-doctoral scholarship

February 23, 2026 by

More News