What Is a Passphrase?
A passphrase is a type of password made up of multiple words combined together, often with numbers or symbols. Unlike traditional passwords, passphrases rely on length and readability rather than short, complex strings that are difficult to remember.
Because passphrases are longer, they are significantly harder for attackers to guess or brute-force. At the same time, they are easier for humans to remember, making them a practical solution for everyday security.
Passphrase vs Password
Traditional passwords are usually short and rely on complexity rules such as mixing uppercase letters, numbers, and symbols. While this can increase security, it often results in passwords that are hard to remember and frequently reused.
Passphrases take a different approach. Instead of being short and complex, they are long and meaningful. For example, a phrase made up of two or three common words combined with numbers can be far stronger than an eight-character password.
Why Length Matters
Password security is largely determined by how many possible combinations exist. Longer passphrases dramatically increase the number of combinations, making them much harder to crack using automated tools.
Even if an attacker knows the words being used, the length of the passphrase combined with variations in capitalization, numbers, and symbols makes guessing impractical.
How Attackers Guess Passwords
Most password attacks are automated. Attackers use software that can attempt millions or even billions of guesses per second. Short passwords are especially vulnerable to these attacks.
Passphrases reduce this risk by increasing the search space attackers must explore. The longer the passphrase, the more computationally expensive it becomes to guess.
Using Passphrase Generators Safely
Passphrase generators can help users create strong, random combinations without relying on personal information. When using a generator, it is important to ensure that passphrases are generated locally and not stored or transmitted.
Tools like Passphrase Genie generate passphrases directly in your browser, ensuring that no generated data is saved or shared.
Common Passphrase Mistakes
- Reusing the same passphrase across multiple sites
- Using personal information such as names or birthdays
- Choosing very short passphrases
- Storing passphrases in plain text
Best Practices for Passphrase Security
- Use a unique passphrase for each important account
- Choose longer passphrases whenever possible
- Store passphrases in a trusted password manager
- Enable multi-factor authentication when available
Frequently Asked Questions
Are passphrases more secure than passwords?
In most cases, yes. Passphrases benefit from increased length, which makes
them harder to guess using automated attacks.
Should I still use symbols and numbers?
Adding numbers and symbols can increase security, but length remains the
most important factor.