X-IM Help

Passphrase Creation Guidelines

Each time X-IM starts up you will need to enter your passphrase. Your passphrase is used as the "key" to encrypt all your private information before it is stored on your computer This encryption makes all your information unreadable to anyone who does not know your passphrase. This passphrase is also used by the X-IM Server to authenticate you as the owner of the account.

Your passphrase plays a large part in the security of your information and it should be chosen with care. Once you have entered your passphrase write it down and store it in a secure place. There is no way to recover a forgotten passphrase.

No one at X-IM Software will ever ask you for your passphrase. Never put your passphrase in an email or on a web form. Only enter your passphrase into the setup and login screens of X-IM.

Password Tips:

• NEVER use any personal information, like important dates, phone numbers, or Social Security numbers.
• NEVER use a single word or even a pair of words which can be found in a dictionary, misspeller's dictionary, or slang dictionary of any language.
• NEVER use a common phrase or a quote, especially one from a famous movie or play. If the phrase can be found online, it is not a good passphrase.
• Systematic or common misspelling (e.g. replacing E with 3, O with 0, etc.) of words, or the reversing or shifting of words add almost no security to a passphrase
• Unpredictable misspellings and unpredictable capitalization add a moderate amount of security to a passphrase.
• The unpredictable insertion of letters and numbers into a word or phrase adds a significant amount of security to a passphrase.
• A passphrase’s length is one of its best security features as long as it is not too common or predictable, and does not contain and personal information,. If you start with an uncommon phrase (e.g. "ducks are not good writers") and unpredictably alter one or more of the words (e.g. "ducks are not go449od writers"), you have an excellent passphrase. It would be even better if the original phrase comprised words which had no meaning or reason to go together (e.g. "ducks repetitive made perspective").
• Of course, these particular phrases are now very poor passphrases, having appeared on this page.

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