What is a recommended practice for creating strong passwords?

Combining letters, numbers, and symbols is a recommended practice for creating strong passwords because it significantly increases the complexity and unpredictability of the password. A strong password is one that cannot easily be guessed or cracked through common methods such as dictionary attacks or brute force attacks. By incorporating a mix of character types, you make it much more challenging for unauthorized individuals to gain access to your accounts.

Incorporating letters, both uppercase and lowercase, numbers, and special characters expands the total number of possible combinations, thereby enhancing the password's strength. For instance, the password "Dog123!" is much stronger than "Dog" because it includes numerical and special characters that increase its security.

This approach contrasts with using only whole words, which can often be found in dictionaries and are more susceptible to attacks that use common word lists. Additionally, maintaining the same password across different platforms increases risk; if one site is compromised, all accounts using that same password can be easily accessed. Changing passwords every month is a good practice, but if the password is not complex, it may not significantly enhance security. Therefore, the most effective recommendation for creating a strong password is to combine letters, numbers, and symbols.