← ACARA Digital Technologies Years 5–6

Testing an example passphrase safely

A tool or quiz that shows how strong a passphrase is. Only test a made-up example in it, never your real passphrase. Read the result, then make a weak example stronger.

Part of: ACARA Digital Technologies Years 5–6 — Staying Safe Online — Module 12

Understanding Testing an example passphrase safely in ACARA Digital Technologies Years 5–6

What it does: The example is invented just for testing, so nothing real is shared with the checker. You never know where a typed passphrase might go. A made-up example shows you how checkers work without any risk. A made-up example is not linked to any of your accounts, so it is safe to test. Reading the result is the point of the checker. A weak result means the example is too easy to guess. Longer passphrases made from random words are much harder to guess. Adding one number only makes a tiny difference. Use what you learned to make a strong passphrase, then keep it private. Don't share passphrases, even good ones.

Common mistakes: The program adds more words to make the example stronger, so it should only do that when the result is "weak". The line should be IF result = "weak" THEN. A short example needs more words, so the test should be for LENGTH less than 16 (<). With > the program would add words to an example that is already long.

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Free printable worksheet with full answer key — or add this module to a class and your students practise it interactively.

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This module's key terms are also in a printable crossword (Modules 137–153) and word search (Modules 137–225).

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Each concept is reinforced from every angle — learned, then applied, then tested.

Learning
Duo
You want to try a passphrase strength checker. Which should you type in?
The real passphrase for my school accountA made-up example passphrase
Matches
checker.test(myRealPassphrase)
↓
This types the real passphrase into the checker. Only a made-up example should ever be tested.
Applying
Meanings
Term
strength checker
Meaning
A tool or quiz that shows how strong a passphrase is. Only test a made-up example in it, never your real passphrase. Read the result, then make a weak example stronger.
Practice
// made-up example only
Testing
Gaps
result ← (example)
Check Answer
Spots
3show(result)
4IF result = "strong" THEN

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Quick Questions

1. You want to try a passphrase strength checker. Which should you type in?
A. A made-up example passphrase ✓
B. The real passphrase for my school account
Only type made-up examples into a checker. Your real passphrase should stay private, even when you are just testing.
2. A friend says: "Type your real passphrase into the checker so it can tell you if it is strong." What is the safe choice?
A. Do it, because a checker is always safe
B. Say no and use a made-up example instead ✓
You never know where a typed passphrase might go. A made-up example shows you how checkers work without any risk.
3. Which one is a good made-up example to test in a checker?
A. The passphrase I use for my game account
B. purple-banana-rocket-lamp ✓
A made-up example is not linked to any of your accounts, so it is safe to test.
4. A checker says your made-up example is "Weak". What does this tell you?
A. The example is easy to guess and needs to be stronger ✓
B. The example is perfect and safe to use
Reading the result is the point of the checker. A weak result means the example is too easy to guess.
5. A checker shows the result "Strong" for your made-up example. What is the best way to read this?
A. This kind of example is hard to guess, so I can copy the idea for a new passphrase ✓
B. I should now type in my real passphrase to compare it
Use what you learn from the made-up example to build a new passphrase. Never test your real one.

Match the Pairs

strength checker → A tool or quiz that rates how strong a passphrase is, so you can test a made-up example
Result: Weak → The checker says the example is easy to guess and needs to be made stronger
Only type a made-up example into a checker, never your real passphrase → test("purple-frog-kite-lamp")
Make a weak example stronger by adding more random words → "dog" -> "dog-cloud-tennis-pickle"
checker.test(myRealPassphrase) → This types the real passphrase into the checker. Only a made-up example should ever be tested.
Result: Weak -> keep using it → A Weak result means the example is easy to guess, so it should be made stronger, not kept.

Key Term

strength checker
A tool or quiz that shows how strong a passphrase is. Only test a made-up example in it, never your real passphrase. Read the result, then make a weak example stronger.

Fill in the Blanks

1. example ← "blue-frog-kite-moon" result ← check_strength(example)
Hint: Type the name of the function that tests how strong the made-up passphrase is.
2. IF result = "weak" THEN example ← example + "-tiger-sun"
Hint: Type the keyword that comes after the condition and starts the action to take.
3. PRINT(result)
Hint: Type the keyword that shows the strength result on the screen so you can read it.
4. isReal ← FALSE
Hint: Type the true/false value that shows this example is NOT your real passphrase.
5. example ← example + "-tiger-sun"
Hint: Type the operator that joins two pieces of text to make a weak example longer and stronger.

Spot the Error

Question 1
A example ← "owl-sock-moon-hat"
B result ← check(example)
C show(result)
D IF result = "strong" THEN
E add more random words
Line D — The program adds more words to make the example stronger, so it should only do that when the result is "weak". The line should be IF result = "weak" THEN.
Question 2
A example ← "cat-drum-cloud"
B result ← check(example)
C show(result)
D IF LENGTH(example) > 16 THEN
E add more random words
Line D — A short example needs more words, so the test should be for LENGTH less than 16 (<). With > the program would add words to an example that is already long.
Question 3
A example ← "sun-bike-tent"
B result ← check(example)
C IF result = "weak" THAN
D example ← example + "-kite"
Line C — The keyword is THEN, not THAN. The line should be IF result = "weak" THEN.
Question 4
A example ← "owl-mango-gum"
B result ← example
C show(result)
Line B — This line never runs the strength checker, so result is just the example text. It should be result ← check(example) to get the strength result.
Question 5
A example ← myRealPassphrase
B result ← check(example)
C show(result)
Line A — You must only test a made-up example in a strength checker, never your real passphrase. The line should use a made-up example such as "owl-mango-gum".

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