Most people might know May 4th as Star Wars Day (May the 4th be with you), but it is also World Password Day. Still using Password123 to keep your data safe? It might be time to rethink your passwords.

And what better way to celebrate World Password Day than to check the strength of the combinations of letters, numbers, and symbols we trust to keep our information safe every day? Don't worry, according to Security.org's password strength tool, "Entries are 100% secure and not stored in any way or shared with anyone. Period." So you can rest assured knowing that any password you check using this tool is not sent anywhere and is only visible locally on your device.

Some cool features of the password strength tool:

• The background color will change as you enter more characters, indicating the strength level of your password
• Beneath your password is an estimate of how long it would take to crack your password
• At the bottom of the screen you'll find tips to improve your password that are generated specifically for the combination of characters you entered
  
  

Questions:

• Have you ever used "password" in your password? Or personal information like your name, street name, etc.? Why do you think it's recommended to NOT do those things?
• How often do you change your passwords?
• Do you use a unique password for different accounts?
• Do you prefer convenience or effectiveness when it comes to creating a password? How does that impact the security of your information?

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Give your students the skills needed to be a savvy consumer with NGPF's Consumer Skills unit.

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Looking for more interactives? Be sure to check out the NGPF Interactive Library. 

About the Author

Ryan Wood

Ryan is the Partnerships and Adoption Manager for Next Gen Personal Finance’s midwest region. He brings his experience as a former teacher, curriculum designer, and sales and marketing professional to state organizations and school districts in supporting the implementation of their personal financial education efforts. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay and earned his teaching credential from Saint Mary’s University in Winona, Minnesota. He proudly taught at two rural high schools in Wisconsin before transitioning to curriculum design at NGPF, and is now excited to be on the front lines in delivering the best possible financial education in the midwest. He and his wife have three beautiful daughters, each of which inspire him to share the impact of being sound financial stewards both at home and as lifelong learners.

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