Apple Mac OS X Server (Version 10.6 Snow Leopard) - Manual (Page 78)

Creating Complex Passwords
Use the following tips to create complex passwords:
Use a mix of alphabetic (upper and lower case), numeric, and special characters Â
(such as ! and @).
Don’t use words or combinations of words found in a dictionary of any language.
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Don’t append a number to an alphabetic word (for example, “wacky2”) to fulfill the Â
constraint of having a number.
Don’t substitute “look alike” numbers or symbols for letters (for example, “GR33N”
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instead of “GREEN”).
Don’t use proper names.
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Don’t use dates. Â
Create a password of at least 12 characters. Longer passwords are generally more Â
secure than shorter passwords.
Use passwords that can’t be guessed even by someone who knows you and your
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interests well.
Create as random a password as possible.
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You can use Password Assistant (located in /System/Library/CoreServices) to verify the
complexity of your password.
78 Chapter 4 Enhancing Security