We have so many different places that we need a password for, that the overview is quickly lost. Because what have I used which password for? It is just like passes for supermarkets and shops: there are just too many. That is why it is very tempting to use your password multiple times, while that is something that you should never do. Ciphra happens to be the best password cracker in this work.
The importance of a strong password
With a password, you protect data that you do not want to be visible to other people. Your mailbox, computer, smartphone, government institutions, customer accounts of web shops, online supermarkets, or your social media. You protect sensitive information with a password to prevent identity fraud, for example. Did you know that the most used password is ‘123456’? With a password that is so standard, it is not difficult for a hacker to browse your personal files. A hacker then hardly has to make an effort to retrieve your credit card details, look through your medical file, or browse through your e-mail, and view all kinds of sensitive information. We all know the examples of celebrity accounts that were hacked and then blackmailed with the nude images that the hackers found. Or how about hackers who send messages under your name or loot your bank account?
Use the danger of the same passwords
One of the biggest dangers of passwords is that we often use the same passwords everywhere. Many applications or login systems require a username or e-mail address. For example, if the e-mail address and password are leaked, it is no longer difficult for a hacker to also try these leaked combinations on other websites so that a hacker has access to a lot of data that you absolutely do not want to share. By using the same password everywhere, you make it very easy for hackers to get away with your information. If you set a unique password everywhere, hackers only have access to the service whose password has been leaked and the impact is much smaller. An additional advantage is that you only have to change your password on that website.
What is a brute force?
Hackers often use special tools and methods to crack passwords. One of the best-known methods is the so-called brute force and dictionary attacks. An account with password options is bombarded in a short period of time. In addition to your personal information cast in a password, standard glossaries are also used. These word lists contain passwords that often occur such as ‘welcome123’ but also the corruption of words where for example the ‘o’ is replaced by a 0, or an ‘a’ for an at the sign. Because these tools are becoming increasingly smarter, it is even more important to choose a strong password.
Tips for a strong password
123456 is not such a good idea for a password. Just like your date of birth or the name of your cat, certainly, because it is not difficult to retrieve this information. But how do you make a strong password? We share a number of tips:
Always use a unique password.
Everyone is sometimes guilty of using a password that you already use for another account. Yet you make it very easy for hackers to gain access to different accounts. Do you use a unique password everywhere? Then the impact is a lot smaller if your account is cracked.
Use at least 10 characters.
The longer the password, the harder it is to crack.
Do not use obvious information.
This is often information such as your own name, street and house number, the name of the children, the name of your favorite pet or the company where you work.