← ACARA Digital Technologies Years 7–8

Passphrase

A long password made of several unrelated words, like three or four random words. It is easy to remember but hard to guess. Add a number or symbol and avoid words linked to you.

Part of: ACARA Digital Technologies Years 7–8 — Networks and Cyber Threats — Module 26

Understanding Passphrase in ACARA Digital Technologies Years 7–8

What it does: Four unrelated words are long and unpredictable, which is what makes a passphrase strong. This example uses a pet name, a team, a name and a year, which are all things linked to the user and easy to guess. A student should avoid this. Unrelated words can be pictured as a silly story, so they are easy to remember. Random characters are hard to remember. Words linked to you can be found on social media or guessed by someone who knows you. Unrelated words are safer. Adding a number or symbol makes it harder to guess. Song lyrics are well known, so attackers can guess them.

Common mistakes: split() breaks a string apart, but here we want to combine the words into one passphrase. It should be "-".join(words). Python has no length() function. The word count is found with len(words).

Class: _____________________  ·  Name: _____________________  ·  Date: _________

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 635–666) and word search (Modules 635–695).

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

Learning
Duo
Which is a passphrase?
purple-tractor-melon-sockPa$$w0rd1
Matches
MyDogMax
↓
This uses a name linked to you and is too short. A passphrase needs three or four random, unrelated words.
Applying
Meanings
Term
passphrase
Meaning
A long password made of several unrelated words, like three or four random words. It is easy to remember but hard to guess. Add a number or symbol and avoid words linked to you.
Practice
passphrase <- "purple-tiger-cloud-bench-7"
Testing
Gaps
= "river cactus pencil"
Check Answer
Spots
1words = ["fox", "map", "sky"]
2passphrase = "-".split(words)

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Quick Questions

1. Which is a passphrase?
A. purple-tractor-melon-sock ✓
B. Pa$$w0rd1
A passphrase is made of several unrelated words. A short word with swapped letters is still a short, common password.
2. How many random words make a good passphrase?
A. Just one
B. Three or four ✓
Three or four unrelated words make the passphrase long, which makes it much harder to guess.
3. Which passphrase is easier to remember but hard to guess?
A. kettle sunset giraffe wobble ✓
B. xK9#qT2!vLp7
Unrelated words can be pictured as a silly story, so they are easy to remember. Random characters are hard to remember.
4. Which words should you AVOID in a passphrase?
A. Words that have nothing to do with you
B. Your pet's name and your birthday ✓
Words linked to you can be found on social media or guessed by someone who knows you. Unrelated words are safer.
5. Which is the best way to make a passphrase a bit stronger?
A. Add a number or symbol, like river!cloud7pencil ✓
B. Use the same words as a song lyric
Adding a number or symbol makes it harder to guess. Song lyrics are well known, so attackers can guess them.

Match the Pairs

purple-tiger-bucket-lamp → A passphrase made of four random, unrelated words that is easy to remember but hard to guess
cloud7!sandal!fox!pencil → A passphrase with a number and symbols added to make it even harder to guess
A good passphrase uses three or four random words that have nothing to do with each other → spoon-rocket-banana-cliff
A passphrase should avoid words linked to you, like your pet's name or your favourite team → Rex-Swans-Emma-2012
MyDogMax → This uses a name linked to you and is too short. A passphrase needs three or four random, unrelated words.
I love my school → This is a common phrase about you. The words are related and easy to guess, so it should be random words like lamp-frog-ocean-chair.

Key Term

passphrase
A long password made of several unrelated words, like three or four random words. It is easy to remember but hard to guess. Add a number or symbol and avoid words linked to you.

Fill in the Blanks

1. passphrase = "river cactus pencil"
Hint: Type the variable name for a long password made of several unrelated words.
2. words = ["river", "cactus", "pencil"] print(len(words))
Hint: Type the function that counts how many words are in the list.
3. passphrase = "river cactus pencil" + "7!"
Hint: Type the operator that joins the number and symbol onto the end of the words.
4. avoid = ["pet", "name", "birthday"] if "pet" in avoid: print("Pick unrelated words")
Hint: Type the keyword that checks whether a word is inside the avoid list.
5. passphrase = "river cactus pencil 7" if len(passphrase) >= 16: print("Long enough")
Hint: Type the comparison operator that means 'at least' this long.

Spot the Error

Question 1
A words = ["fox", "map", "sky"]
B passphrase = "-".split(words)
C print(passphrase)
Line B — split() breaks a string apart, but here we want to combine the words into one passphrase. It should be "-".join(words).
Question 2
A words = ["fox", "map", "sky"]
B count = length(words)
C if count >= 3:
D print("Good length")
Line B — Python has no length() function. The word count is found with len(words).
Question 3
A phrase = "fox-map-sky"
B number = 7
C phrase = phrase + number
D print(phrase)
Line C — You cannot add a number directly to text. The number must be turned into text first with str(number) so it can be added to the passphrase.
Question 4
A avoid = ["Sam", "Rex", "2010"
B word = "Rex"
C if word in avoid:
D print("Too guessable")
Line A — The list is missing its closing square bracket ]. The words to avoid (names, pets, birth years) must be inside a complete list.
Question 5
A passphrase = "sock rocket fig
B length = len(passphrase)
C print(length)
Line A — The string is missing its closing quote mark. It should end with " after fig.

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