So, one of the hit topics about network security is “Passwords”! Many people want to be safe online but fail to generate secure ones. So, is your password secure enough? Let’s find out!
Password Safety
Firstly, let’s have a brief explanation of password safety. As we all know, they are authenticators that proves the person signing in is really you. But, as technology rapidly enhances, the property’s trueness becomes controversial because hackers can guess the password instantly with their potent devices.
Many users are utilizing their “online keys” wrong. In reality, people are so afraid of forgetting their passwords that many users still use easy-to-guess ones such as “123456” and “password”. Hackers prioritize these codes due to a reason that everyone can think of. With a blazing-fast password-guessing device, these vulnerable ones can be broken in less than a picosecond. Yuck! Bad guys can control your PC or account very easily!
How to Create a Strong Password?
Length Matters
First and foremost, keep your password long. You must not use something like:
- 1234
- 5880
- hdvb
- qtnl
Although two of the four instances are random, they are still way too simple to crack. According to theconversation.com, supercomputers can guess a hundred billion passwords within one second. Therefore, even though you insert a totally random 4-character passcode, you will probably be cracked within a blink of an eye. Any other precautions of password safety won’t work at that time!
If you increase the length by just two characters, the time might still be just seconds, but the difficulty increases exponentially by each letter you add. Thus, Google recommends having at least 12 characters and using lower and upper letters, numbers, and symbols for your password safety. If this precaution is made, it usually takes an eternity (more than 10,000 years) to crack your password if you have acted on all other suggestions.
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Avoid Simple Algorithms
Memorizing a password with twelve or more letters is tremendously hard. However, you should avoid using simple algorithms, including extracting a word in a dictionary. They can easily be guessed.
Also, don’t create a password that contain easily-accessible information, including your name, address, and school name. You don’t know if the attacker is your friend (or if he/she is hacked), or someone who knows about your personal information.
If your password is to solely pass the basic requirements, your account is in danger. For example, although “P@$$w0rd123” meets the general necessities of password safety (from a PC’s perspective) and is 11 characters long, hackers can guess it in a second. That’s because they will attempt to break these passwords before other, more random ones because they use alternative symbols and numbers for alphabets.
Also, don’t reuse passwords. If the hacker got the password from one account, they can access other information or your money.
Make it More Memorable
You can sometimes find some techniques to remember your password more easily, like in a sentence you can remember very firmly. For example, if the ideal sentence is “You’d better protect your accounts so that it’s not easy to be hacked”, your passcode should be like “Y’dBtrPyastit’sNEtbhkd123”. It contains about 25 characters and is nearly perfect, except the “123” in the end. But, remember to be general so that it can’t be guessed under normal circumstances.
We can also write our passwords into a physical copy. But, if you do that, take that very earnestly. Don’t make it in any webcam’s sight as hackers might resolve the code inside and hack into your account if they’re lucky. Moreover, sharing your password is prohibited. If you did that accidentally, change your password immediately if in doubt.
Utilize a Password Manager
If you’re a Chrome user, you’d probably seen random suggested codes in your inbox of creating a password. That’s right, and the browser will automatically save that so that you don’t need to remember that hardly. Although there may be higher risks because the browser may be compromised, it’s still generally a good idea to do that.
Moreover, a Google Account has a built-in password manager called “Google Password Manager“. If you choose to enter your passcode in your Google Account, you can visit that website to get your passwords back if you forgot them. But, remember to maintain the security of your OS account and your Google Account: They’re the root accounts.
Furthermore, it’s better to use multiple password managers. Even if one is compromised, it won’t affect all your accounts in this case.
Use Multi-Factor Authentication
Nowadays, a password isn’t enough to be very secure. So, we develop many ways to achieve “Multi-factor Authentication”. The most common way to do that is by sending a text message to your phone with your verification code. This way, only getting a password is not enough. Also, if you receive an unknown text message in an identical or a similar format, modify your password because it is already guessed by someone else.
Also, the use of AI technology makes logins even safer. iPhones have a function to match the user’s fingerprint by pressing a button and automatically fills in the passcode. But, what if that setting was changed manually? Well, check out the next section because there are tips for preventing hacker or malware attacks.
Keep an Eye on Signs of Being Hacked
There are always holes, although we take lots of defenses. That’s why we detect signs of hacking. One of them that is already mentioned is receiving suspicious or unreasonable messages from someone else, either strangers or authorized organizations. If passwords aren’t working, that’s a 100% sign. That means, hackers have manually modified your passwords! For more about the clues and procedures of computer security, please visit the page in the link above.
If you think any evidence meets even one of these criteria, you should change your password right away. However, despite the standard recommendation of changing the password often, many webpages actually go against that. Because of our forgetfulness, when we have to remember a new code every a couple of months, our passcodes will be weaker and easier to guess.
References and Credits
- Paul Haskell-Dowland, Brianna O’Shea. (2020, September 15). A computer can guess more than 100,000,000,000 passwords is secure? Retrieved December 15, 2020, from https://theconversation.com/a-computer-can-guess-more-than-100-000-000-000-passwords-per-second-still-think-yours-is-secure-144418
- (n.d.). Create a strong password & a more secure account – Google Account Help. Retrieved December 15, 2020, from https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/32040?hl=en
- Chris Hoffman. (2018, May 9). How to Create a Strong Password (and Remember It). Retrieved December 15, 2020, from https://www.howtogeek.com/195430/how-to-create-a-strong-password-and-remember-it/
- Chris Hoffman. (2016, September 22). Should You Change Your Passwords Regularly?. Retrieved December 15, 2020, from https://www.howtogeek.com/187645/htg-explains-should-you-regularly-change-your-passwords/
- Carson. (2020, December 4). What to do if your computer is hacked? (and how to prevent that) – Central Galaxy. Retrieved December 15, 2020, from https://www.centralgalaxy.com/what-to-do-if-your-computer-is-hacked/