I hate using phrases. Best Buy tries to force you into it, but I can't remember a phrase. Social Security's online system for uploading W-2s requires 8 characters, no more, no less.
Phrases are great. I am starting to migrate all my passwords into phrases. I have used smaller phrases in the past, but more and more systems are starting to go to a 15 character restriction. Personally, I think that is insane, especially when the passwords expire.
Words or l33t words are put into dictionary tables so that theyre aren't much more secure against an offline attack against a stolen db table http://arstechnica.com/business/201...ecure-than-passwords-because-of-poor-choices/ https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2014/03/choosing_secure_1.html You still have to put in misspellings and deliberate symbols to increase entropy: ? corretc hores ? batteyr stapel ? For an offline attack, a midgrade 2015 laptop with a midgrade video card could break 8-10 characters of any combinations in 2 weeks.