What constitutes a strong password for user accounts?

A strong password for user accounts is characterized by being at least 12 characters long and incorporating special characters. This combination significantly enhances security by making it more difficult for unauthorized users to guess or brute-force the password.

The inclusion of at least 12 characters increases complexity and entropy, meaning the total number of possible combinations rises dramatically, thereby enhancing its strength. Special characters (such as @, #, $, etc.) further diversify the character set, which adds an additional layer of difficulty against attacks aimed at cracking the password.

While combinations of letters and numbers, as well as mixed-case letters, contribute to password strength, they are not sufficient on their own without being combined with length and special characters. A password composed merely of common words and dates is weak, as these can be easily guessed or cracked using dictionary attacks, making such practices undesirable in creating secure passwords.