Passwords & Security

Generator, strength tester, passphrase and PIN code — 100% local.

Generated using the browser's secure cryptography API (crypto.getRandomValues), not a simple random number generator. Nothing is sent to a server — not even impulsestation.ch ever sees your passwords.

Enter a password above

Rough estimate based on the length and diversity of characters used (entropy), assuming an offline attack at about 10 billion attempts per second — an order of magnitude, not a guarantee. Fully local calculation: this password is neither stored nor transmitted, not even to impulsestation.ch.

"Diceware" method: common English words drawn randomly (via crypto.getRandomValues) from a list of about 200 words. Easier to memorize and type than a random password, while staying secure thanks to the number of possible combinations.

Drawn randomly using the browser's cryptography API. A PIN code remains easier to guess than a password — avoid obvious sequences (0000, 1234) and reserve it for uses that require it (card, device).

What makes a password strong

A password's strength is measured in entropy, expressed in bits: the logarithm of the number of combinations an attacker would have to try. Each bit doubles that number. Two levers raise it — length and character variety — but length matters far more.

entropy ≈ length × log₂(alphabet size)

An 8-character password mixing uppercase, lowercase, digits and symbols (an alphabet of about 94 signs) reaches ~52 bits. A string of 16 lowercase letters only reaches ~75. At the scale of a modern offline attack (billions of guesses per second), the first falls in a few hours, the second would last for millennia. Lengthen before you complicate.

Why "P@ssw0rd!" fools no one

Cracking tools know the common substitutions (a→@, o→0, i→1) and try them first. A dictionary word in disguise is still a dictionary word. The "complexity rules" imposed by some sites mainly produce passwords that are hard to remember and easy to guess.

The passphrase: long and memorable

Drawing 5 random words from a list (the "diceware" method) gives a phrase like tiger-brick-north-coffee-twelve: easy to remember, tedious to type once, but unbeatable in number of combinations. With a 200-word list, 5 words represent 200⁵ ≈ 320 billion billion possibilities. It's the right choice for the few passwords you must know by heart (login, password manager).

The rule that matters most: a different password for every site. Most account hacks come from reuse: a password leaked elsewhere is replayed everywhere. A password manager and two-factor authentication (2FA) protect you better than any complexity rule.

Frequently asked questions

Is the password generated here stored?

No. It's produced in your browser with crypto.getRandomValues and is neither stored nor transmitted — impulsestation.ch never sees it. Close the tab and it's gone.

Does the strength tester see my real password?

The calculation is entirely local. Nothing is sent. You can turn off your connection after the page loads: the tool keeps working.

Should I change my passwords regularly?

Current guidance (NIST) says no, unless there's a known breach. Forced changes push people towards predictable variants. Better a long, unique password plus 2FA.