https://password.us/ Recent content in Password Security for Everyone on password.us - Your Guide to Password Security Hugo en-us Mon, 11 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://password.us/reviews/best-password-managers-2026/ Mon, 11 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://password.us/reviews/best-password-managers-2026/ <p>A password manager is the single most effective thing you can do for your online security. It generates strong, unique passwords for every account and remembers them so you do not have to.</p> <p>Here is how the major options compare.</p> <h2 id="what-to-look-for">What to look for</h2> <ul> <li><strong>Zero-knowledge architecture</strong> &ndash; the provider cannot read your passwords</li> <li><strong>Cross-platform support</strong> &ndash; works on your phone, laptop, and browser</li> <li><strong>Breach monitoring</strong> &ndash; alerts you when your credentials appear in a leak</li> <li><strong>Ease of use</strong> &ndash; if it is annoying, you will not use it</li> <li><strong>Price</strong> &ndash; free tiers exist, but paid plans add real value</li> </ul> <h2 id="the-contenders">The contenders</h2> <h3 id="bitwarden">Bitwarden</h3> <p><strong>Price:</strong> Free (generous tier), $10/year premium</p> https://password.us/guides/how-to-create-a-strong-password/ Mon, 11 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://password.us/guides/how-to-create-a-strong-password/ <p>Most people know their passwords are weak. The problem is that the old advice &ndash; mix uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and symbols &ndash; produces passwords that are hard for humans to remember and easy for computers to crack.</p> <p>Here is what actually works.</p> <h2 id="length-beats-complexity">Length beats complexity</h2> <p>A 20-character passphrase made of common words is stronger than an 8-character string of random symbols. The math is simple: every additional character multiplies the number of possible combinations.</p> https://password.us/guides/nist-password-guidelines/ Mon, 11 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://password.us/guides/nist-password-guidelines/ <p>The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) sets the password policies that US federal agencies must follow. Their guidelines (SP 800-63B) have rippled out to influence corporate policies worldwide.</p> <p>The most recent revision threw out decades of conventional wisdom.</p> <h2 id="what-nist-dropped">What NIST dropped</h2> <p><strong>Mandatory complexity rules.</strong> The old requirement to mix uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and special characters is gone. NIST found that these rules lead to predictable patterns (<code>Password1!</code>, <code>Summer2026$</code>) that are easy to guess.</p> https://password.us/tools/password-strength-checker/ Mon, 11 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://password.us/tools/password-strength-checker/ <p>Type a password below to see how strong it is. <strong>This tool runs entirely in your browser. Your password is never sent anywhere.</strong></p> <div id="checker" style="max-width: 500px; margin: 2rem 0;"> <input type="text" id="pw-input" placeholder="Enter a password to test" style="width: 100%; padding: 12px; font-size: 18px; border: 2px solid #ccc; border-radius: 4px; font-family: monospace;"> <div id="pw-result" style="margin-top: 16px; padding: 16px; border-radius: 4px; display: none;"> <div id="pw-strength" style="font-size: 20px; font-weight: bold;"></div> <div id="pw-details" style="margin-top: 8px;"></div> <div id="pw-meter" style="margin-top: 12px; height: 8px; border-radius: 4px; background: #eee;"> <div id="pw-bar" style="height: 100%; border-radius: 4px; transition: width 0.3s, background 0.3s;"></div> </div> </div> </div> <script> (function() { var input = document.getElementById('pw-input'); var result = document.getElementById('pw-result'); var strength = document.getElementById('pw-strength'); var details = document.getElementById('pw-details'); var bar = document.getElementById('pw-bar'); input.addEventListener('input', function() { var pw = input.value; if (pw.length === 0) { result.style.display = 'none'; return; } result.style.display = 'block'; var score = 0; var notes = []; if (pw.length >= 8) score++; if (pw.length >= 12) score++; if (pw.length >= 16) score++; if (pw.length >= 20) score++; if (/[a-z]/.test(pw)) score++; if (/[A-Z]/.test(pw)) score++; if (/[0-9]/.test(pw)) score++; if (/[^a-zA-Z0-9]/.test(pw)) score++; if (pw.length < 8) notes.push('Too short -- aim for at least 12 characters'); if (!/[A-Z]/.test(pw) && !/[a-z]/.test(pw)) notes.push('Add some letters'); if (!/[0-9]/.test(pw)) notes.push('Adding numbers increases strength'); if (pw.length >= 16) notes.push('Good length'); if (pw.length >= 20) notes.push('Excellent length'); var common = ['password', '123456', 'qwerty', 'letmein', 'welcome', 'monkey', 'dragon', 'master', 'abc123', 'login', 'admin']; if (common.indexOf(pw.toLowerCase()) >= 0) { score = 0; notes = ['This is one of the most common passwords. Do not use it.']; } var labels = ['Very Weak', 'Weak', 'Fair', 'Good', 'Strong', 'Very Strong']; var colors = ['#d32f2f', '#e64a19', '#f57c00', '#fbc02d', '#388e3c', '#1b5e20']; var idx = Math.min(score, 5); if (score > 5) idx = 5; strength.textContent = labels[idx]; strength.style.color = colors[idx]; details.innerHTML = pw.length + ' characters' + (notes.length > 0 ? '<br>' + notes.join('<br>') : ''); bar.style.width = (Math.min(score, 5) / 5 * 100) + '%'; bar.style.background = colors[idx]; }); })(); </script> <h2 id="how-this-works">How this works</h2> <p>This checker evaluates your password based on:</p>