Are you still using your phone number as your password for your valuable sites and applications? Or do you use the same password for multiple online platforms? If you say yes, then you’re at a cyber risk. Choosing an easy-to-remember password for convenience actually makes it far easier for hackers to crack it in seconds. Are you ready to set up one-of-a-kind solid passwords for each platform and explore password management tools? Keep in mind that your password is your first line of security against any online attack. It’s time to raise your security game and protect your digital life.
The Vulnerability of Passwords
There is a reason why financial institutions and other websites do not accept passwords of less than 8 characters, a number, and a symbol. Difficult the characters, the more difficult it is for the hackers to crack your password. You might not believe this, but no matter the length of your password, hackers can crack it in less than 30 minutes if it contains just numerals. This data comes from Hive System, which also states that with the cutting-edge technology available today, any number-only password with 14 or fewer characters can be cracked in an instant.
According to Hive Systems, the maximum time to track your password, if you only use the numerical character, is 26 minutes. If your password contains 14 or fewer numbers, they can track it instantly. Considering this information, do you still want to set your password to a phone number? I hope NOT.
AI systems, such as Chat GPT, have the ability to analyze password patterns and generate new password guesses based on those patterns. Hackers can create powerful password-cracking tools by using deep learning algorithms trained on large password databases. Hive recently updated its table to provide a more accurate portrayal of password vulnerability. The table ranks the password based on their character count and the presence of a range of numbers, letters, and symbols.
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Strengthening your password from hackers
Knowing one password is enough for hackers to go through your everything, especially if it is your email. It is email because it is your gateway to several other platforms. This article highlights the simple ways to strengthen your password according to the recommendation of security experts:
- Do not use personal information such as your phone number and name as your password.
- Avoid using the most common passwords like 123456, abcdef, qwerty, and other generic phrases.
- Choose at least a twelve-character password that is random and difficult. It should also contain a combination of numbers, uppercase and lowercase characters, and special symbols.
- Choose a unique and long password for each account you own.
- Update your password every now and then or every 60 to 90 days.
Surprisingly, Hive states that the time required for correctly guessing a password using brute force methods has decreased from four hours to one hour. However, hackers might speed up their efforts even further by taking advantage of consumer cloud computing. In such cases, hackers can discover the supposedly secure eight-character password in minutes. Moreover, it is always better to avoid using public wifi to be on the safe side and
Is a strong password by itself sufficient security?
Well, the quick answer is NO. There are other methods that hackers use to obtain your password. One of the methods is Phishing which is a common tactic that involves the use of false links that lead to fake websites to trick visitors into entering their passwords. You also need to be careful when it comes to signing up from links and websites that are not authorized.
Remember receiving a doubtful link from a Facebook friend when curiosity got the best of you, and you clicked on it? You suddenly found yourself locked out of your own Facebook account the next time you tried to get in. You can protect yourself from hackers if you stay away from links and websites that are not authorized. For more protection, you can also use two-factor authentication so that others cannot log in to your account without the code you receive in your text or email.
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