Creating a "strong password" that meets the criteria can be frustrating, as it likely needs to include at least one number, symbol, or uppercase letter. In this respect, tech experts have shared a simple trick that helps create a secure password by incorporating emojis, forcing hackers to navigate through about 3,700 variations to crack it. There are over 3,600 Unicode emojis, and using up to five emojis is equivalent to an ordinary nine-character password, while seven emojis equal a strong 13-character "regular" password.
In addition to creating an almost unhackable password, people might find it easier to remember quirky emojis rather than "a meaningless mix of letters and numbers." This suggestion comes from Stan Kaminsky of the cybersecurity company Kaspersky, who shared the "hack" in a post. Kaminsky noted that forming a phrase using emojis is the best way to utilize them in passwords. For example, one could create titles of books or movies like "Alice in Wonderland" using a girl, a rabbit, a hole, and a top hat.
However, Kaminsky warned that using emojis in passwords has a downside, as small images can slow down the login process since entering them is more challenging than typing letters, numbers, and symbols. He added, "On smartphones, entering emojis is straightforward. However, on desktop computers, it can be a bit more annoying." Another issue is that people have favorite emojis they use on social media, and a hacker who tracks your moves is likely to try using them to break your code.
