Strong passwords aren't as easy as adding 123. Here's what experts say really helps

You’ve seen all the familiar rules for strong passwords almost every time you create an online account.

These requirements are designed to make it harder for hackers to get into your accounts.

However, they don’t reallymake your password stronger, sayresearchers at Carnegie Mellon University.

You’ll likely add a “1” at the end.

Is it capital letters?

You’ll probably make it the first one in the password.

CMU’s password meter will offer advice for strengthening a password like “ILoveYou2!”

– which meets the standard requirements.

“It’s relevant to what you’re doing, rather than some random tip,” Cranor said.

Test subjects were able to come up withsecure passwords that they could recallup to five days later.

The team hopes its tools will be adopted by website makers in the future.

Those aren’t widely adopted, and they come with some trade-offs.