Password Types Visual Guide
Compare different password categories with visual examples. See what makes a password weak, fair, or strong.
Single Dictionary Word
A single common word with no modifications
Examples:
passwordmonkeydragonmasterwelcomeEntropy
10-15 bits
Crack Time
Instant
Strength
⚠️ Very Weak
Pros
- •Easy to remember
Cons
- •First thing attackers try
- •In every dictionary attack
- •Cracked in milliseconds
Simple Substitution
Dictionary words with predictable character substitutions
Examples:
P@ssw0rdTr0ub4dor&3M0nk3y!3xample#Welc0me!Entropy
25-30 bits
Crack Time
Minutes to hours
Strength
⚠️ Weak
Pros
- •Meets basic complexity rules
- •Somewhat memorable
Cons
- •Substitutions are predictable
- •Still vulnerable to hybrid attacks
- •False sense of security
Random Complex Password
Random mix of uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and symbols
Examples:
aR7$mK9!pL2@xQ5#bN8%tZ3^kM4&wP9*jS6!vT8#dR5@cH2$Entropy
60-75 bits
Crack Time
Thousands of years
Strength
✓ Strong
Pros
- •Highly resistant to all attacks
- •True randomness
- •Maximum entropy per character
Cons
- •Impossible to remember
- •Requires password manager
- •Typing errors common
Multi-Word Passphrase
Multiple random words joined together (Diceware method)
Examples:
correct-horse-battery-staplesunlight-keyboard-purple-elephanttable-cloud-guitar-mountainforest-dream-coffee-oceanEntropy
50-77 bits
Crack Time
Millions of years
Strength
✓ Strong
Pros
- •Easy to remember
- •Long and resistant to brute force
- •Human-friendly
Cons
- •Longer to type
- •Requires truly random words
- •Not all sites accept spaces/hyphens
Personal Information
Based on birthdays, names, addresses, or personal data
Examples:
Sarah1995Fluffy2018MainSt123BostonRedEntropy
15-20 bits
Crack Time
Seconds to minutes
Strength
⚠️ Very Weak
Pros
- •Easy to remember
Cons
- •Trivial to guess from social media
- •Attackers check personal info first
- •Vulnerable to social engineering
Keyboard Patterns
Sequential keyboard patterns or repeated characters
Examples:
qwerty123asdfgh123456789aaaaaaqwertyuiopEntropy
5-12 bits
Crack Time
Instant
Strength
⚠️ Very Weak
Pros
- •Very easy to type
Cons
- •Trivial pattern recognition
- •In top 10 most common passwords
- •Zero effective security
Our Recommendations
For Maximum Security:
Use a password manager with randomly generated 16+ character passwords (random complex type). Different password for every site.
For Memorability:
Use passphrases with 4-6 truly random words (multi-word passphrase type). Perfect for master passwords.
Never Use:
Dictionary words, personal information, keyboard patterns, or simple substitutions. These provide almost no real security.