I know that many people might be wondering what the point of the Strong Password Meter on the Registration Page is. In short, the Meter is a device that tells you how easy it is for a hacker to guess the password you’ve just typed in. Since we’re allowing everyone to choose their own passwords, it’s immensely key that, for the security of the site and the community as a whole, that everyone chooses as strong a password as possible. If anyone’s account is hacked, the personal data of the entire Temple membership could be at risk.

So how do you create a strong password? A strong password should fit the following criteria:

• should be at least eight characters long;
• should involve at least one Capital letter;
• should involve at least one numeral or digit (0-9);
• should involve at least one special character (including any of the following: !@#$%^&*-_+=~)

The trick is, of course, finding a password with these characteristics that you can remember. Here are a few links that might help:

• Microsoft: Create strong passwords
• How To Create Strong Passwords… And Remember Them
• How to Write Good Passwords

If you’ve already registered an account, but are worried that your password isn’t strong enough, here’s a WordPress tutorial on how to change it: WordPress: Resetting Your Password.