Mac® Security Bible

6.9. Summary

This chapter covered the basic facts every Mac user should know about passwords. I explained the factors that make a password more or less secure and why different sorts of passwords are appropriate in different situations. I listed the various types of passwords Mac OS X uses, including their strengths and weaknesses. Because virtually every Mac user is asked repeatedly to choose and type passwords, I explained some of the ways in which you can select hard-to-crack passwords without expending too much time or mental effort. One way I showed how to do this is to use Password Assistant or a third-party password generator and use your keychain (or another tool) to store and fill in the passwords when needed. I mentioned how to reset a forgotten administrator's password, described the use of a firmware password on a Mac, and finished the chapter with a discussion of hardware devices that can increase your security by supplementing or replacing conventional password prompts.