Password pressure of modern life

Nothing is more annoying than sitting at a computer screen, looking at a message saying "Password incorrect". But according to a recent survey the average person now needs to remember 15 different security numbers and passwords.

"We are drowning in PIN numbers and security codes," says Barnaby Hobbs of communications agency @www, which conducted the survey. "The problem is that every internet site requires passwords and there are too many to remember."

The password pressure of modern life means that 61% of us always use the same security code. In fact, one in 10 people have 50 or more online accounts and many are not only using the same password for everything, but also writing down all their passwords in one place, such as the noticeboard in their office.

Your mother's name might seem hard to decipher but if someone has any information about you, it may be easy to guess. However, this doesn't mean you have to remember 50 completely nonsensical things.

The same password can be used for low security accounts, such as discussion groups, but if the account is more important your password should be more complex.

Never use standard dictionary words. Criminals use "bots" that can go through every word in the dictionary and try them out as your password in seconds. For more security, try mixing letters with numbers and punctuation. And the longer the password, the better. Many sites ask for a "minimum six characters", but you don't need to stop there. Think of a memorable phrase, take the spaces out, or use the first letter of each word.

According to the Microsoft web site, it's not necessarily bad to write your password down - a piece of paper is harder for a criminal to hack than something on your computer - as long as it is carefully protected. So hide your password or disguise it.

Lesson Plan

Tell students the lesson is about security passwords in Britain. Remind them not to reveal real passwords in the lesson. Ask: What things do you need security codes or passwords for? (Online accounts, bank machines.) How many codes or passwords do they have? Students discuss in pairs. Feedback. - 5 mins

Write the headline on the board. Ask: What is the problem with passwords now? (Too many/people can't remember them.) - 2 mins

Write up the gapped sentences below. STudents guess the number in each sentence. Give out the article. STudents read the first three paragraphs and check their ideas. Feedback - 8 mins

1. The average person needs to remember ___ different security codes and passwords.
2. ___% of people always use the same security code.
3. One in 10 people now have ___ or more online accounts.

Write up the following password safety tips. Check unknown vocabulary. In pairs students identify the ones that are correct or incorrect. Students read to confirm ideas. Feedback. - 10 mins

1. Your mother or father's first name is a good password.
2. It's a good idea to use random dictionary words as a password.
3. It's OK to use the same password for different low-security accounts.
4. Passwords with letters, numbers and punctuation are very safe.
5. Shorter passwords are much safer than longer ones.
6. It's OK to write down your passwords as long as you disguise them.

Tell students they are going to play a "crack the password" pairwork game. Each student thinks of a password with a personally significant word of more than four letters plus a significant two digit number (eg maria25). In pairs, one student puts up to 20 yes/no questions to their partner to guess their password (eg Is it a name?). They can also ask for a clue four times if they get stuck. - 10 mins

Students imagine they have set up a company with a password protected web site. Ask them to write password Do's and Don'ts for their customers, for example: Never use a dictionary word for your password. Students look back at the article for ideas or go to the Microsoft web site. - 15 mins