Do Symbols Enhance Password Security?

Password security is a critical aspect of digital privacy and security. The most important criterion when selecting a password is unpredictability. This is best achieved by randomly choosing every character of the password. When adding all 32 symbolic characters to the alphanumeric characters, this provides an additional 10 bits of entropy compared to a password without symbols. Mathematically, this means a password of 5 characters without symbols would have 5.95 bits of entropy, whereas 6.55 bits of entropy can be achieved with the addition of symbols.

Maximum Security Standards

For maximum security, it is recommended to use at least 21 alphanumeric characters that are chosen completely at random. Using the maximum number of characters allowed by the website, up to 64 characters, is ideal. Additionally, it is necessary to maintain a different password for every account or website, and storing them in a secure password manager is essential. By adhering to these guidelines, a 21-character alphanumeric password provides 125 bits of entropy, whereas 32 characters can boost that to 190 bits, and 43 characters can provide 256 bits, and 64 characters can offer 381 bits.

The Role of Symbols in Password Strength

While symbols can indeed add approximately 10 bits of strength to a password compared to a similar length password without symbols, this is only true when the symbols are chosen randomly. Therefore, a 20-character password with symbols has the same strength as a 22-character password without symbols. However, the practicality of this advice is limited because different websites have varying restrictions on which symbols are allowed. Personally, I opt for longer passwords and avoid symbols altogether, as many websites limit which symbols can be used, and the allowed symbols differ from one site to another. In such cases, adding an exclamation point or another simple symbol at the end of a longer password can achieve the required strength without the complexity of adhering to specific symbol requirements.

Understanding Security in Bits

Security is measured in bits. To calculate the strength of a password, take the logarithm base 2 of the size of the character set used and multiply it by the number of characters in the password. The difference in the logarithm base 2 of the number of characters available with symbols versus without is approximately 10 bits. Therefore, a 20-character password with symbols provides the same strength as a 22-character password without symbols.

Given these considerations, I prefer to generate longer passwords without symbols, knowing that this approach simplifies password management and reduces the risk of encountering restrictions. If a website requires symbols, I simply append an exclamation point or another symbol to the end of my password, ensuring that the overall strength remains adequate.

Conclusion

In conclusion, while symbols can significantly enhance password complexity and security, the practicality of implementing this strategy depends on the specific website requirements. By prioritizing longer, random passwords and using simple symbols when necessary, you can enhance your password security without the added complexity and potential inconvenience of adhering to varying symbol restrictions.