Password advice

Password advice

Stop using difficult-to-guess passwords

Study the following sentences and match the underlined words to their definitions.

Multiple Choice

I’m not making progress. It’s very frustrating. I want to improve much faster.

• annoying because things are not happening in the way that you want

• a way of doing something

• existing or selected when you don’t change anything

• general rules or advice

• illegally enter someone else’s computer system

Multiple Choice

The company gives a range of guidelines to keep its workers safe.

• annoying because things are not happening in the way that you want

• a way of doing something

• existing or selected when you don’t change anything

• general rules or advice

• illegally enter someone else’s computer system

Multiple Choice

You cannot solve the problem like that. You need a different approach.

• annoying because things are not happening in the way that you want

• a way of doing something

• existing or selected when you don’t change anything

• general rules or advice

• illegally enter someone else’s computer system

Multiple Choice

The boss was very angry with you. I tried to warn you to arrive on time!

• to tell someone that something bad could happen in the future

• a way of doing something

• existing or selected when you don’t change anything

• general rules or advice

• illegally enter someone else’s computer system

Multiple Choice

The default font size is 12, but you can change it if you want.

• to tell someone that something bad could happen in the future

• a way of doing something

• existing or selected when you don’t change anything

• general rules or advice

• illegally enter someone else’s computer system

Multiple Choice

The criminal tried to hack the bank’s computer

• to tell someone that something bad could happen in the future

• a way of doing something

• existing or selected when you don’t change anything

• general rules or advice

• illegally enter someone else’s computer system

You are going to read an article about how to choose a good password, according to Britain’s intelligence organisation GCHQ

Decide if each statement is True (T) or False (F). Then read the text to check. 

Poll

Complex passwords are better than simple passwords.

• True

• False

Poll

It is important to change your default password.

• True

• False

Poll

If you can’t remember your password, you should store it on your computer as a plain text file.

• True

• False

Poll

It is better to create lots of passwords.

• True

• False

Poll

Companies should have more relaxed rules about how customers should create passwords.

• True

• False

Poll

Password management software is very safe.

• True

• False

Stop using difficult-to-guess passwords, UK’s intelligence organisation GCHQ recommends

‘Complex passwords are not usually frustrating for attackers, but they make daily life much more difficult for users,’ the organisation warns.

In a new document, the company gives guidelines to keep people safe. And they have stopped saying that "complex passwords are ‘stronger’". Now they recommend that people simplify their approach.

The organisation gives a number of tips for people who work in IT as well as normal users. They warn people to change their default passwords, and to make sure that accounts cannot be accessed if they’re under attack. They also say that people should avoid storing passwords as plain text files because other people can read these files.

The organisation also warns against the problems of "password overload". That is what happens when people create too many complex passwords that they can’t remember. They have to write them down, and so the passwords become unsafe.

People often use complicated passwords because organisations have rules about the complexity of passwords. For example, they must be a certain length or include special characters. Instead, companies should allow people to use their own, more simple passwords.

Those simple passwords might consist of just three simple words, for instance. Or people could use password managers — software that generates and then stores the passwords. The passwords can be complex and people will never need to remember them.

"Software password managers can help — they generate, store and even enter passwords when required," the report says. "However, like all security software, they can be hacked and they are an attractive target for attackers."

That second sentence might be of interest to people who want to use the passwords — according to new documents, GCHQ has been attacking security services used by British citizens in order to spy on people more easily.

Adapted from The Independent, by Andrew Griffin, Friday 11 September 2015 

Grammar practice

Now complete the following questions with the correct form of the verb ‘do’: 

Multiple Select

What do you enjoy _____ ?

• to do

• doing

Multiple Select

What do you dislike _____ ?

• to do

• doing

Multiple Select

Give an example of something you warned somebody _______ or not to do

• to do

• doing

Multiple Select

What bad habits have you stopped ______ ?

• to do

• doing

Multiple Select

What do you avoid ______ when you travel?

• to do

• doing

Multiple Select

What are you planning ______ in the near future?

• to do

• doing

Multiple Select

Have you ever asked someone ______ something very important for you?

• to do

• doing