GabyNow hackers can crack complex passwords eight times faster than last year, claim researchers from the American cybersecurity company Hive Systems.
They also warn that a password consisting only of numbers is the easiest to crack, even if there are more than 10. Interestingly, a six-digit password made up of numbers, uppercase and lowercase letters can also be decrypted by a hacker instantly.
Specialists attribute this kind of “progress” to the latest advancements in technology.
“Now the time has come when passwords are no longer reliable,” said Alex Nette, CEO and co-founder of Hive Systems. According to him, the easy accessibility of tools… artificial intelligence Hackers have never had such easy access to our personal data. Therefore, without additional protection, this data cannot be considered secure, the expert added.
What the new research showed
Hive Systems dedicated its recent research to fresh cases of password breaches. According to its findings, digital passwords are the most dangerous. Hackers were able to crack these secret codes in no time, even if they consisted of 11 digits.
Hackers were able to crack passwords of four to eight characters instantly, the publication reported. Daily Mail .
As researchers have shown, it took only one second to crack a 12-digit password and less than a week for an 18-digit one.
To crack a password of 11 letters, the attackers needed only 30 minutes. But if they added at least seven lowercase letters to it, it would take 480,000 years to decipher such a secret (!).
The most reliable passwords turned out to be those that contained a combination of numbers, symbols, and letters of different cases. However, according to experts, if the length of such varied passwords were 4-7 characters, they could also be cracked quickly. In contrast, it would take 226 years to decrypt combined 12-character passwords. And if you add 6 or more symbols to the password, hackers would need 26 trillion years to crack it.
Can there be one password for all situations?
Jake Moore, an advisor at the international cybersecurity company ESET, noted that using different passwords for each site is another way to protect oneself from malicious actors.
As the expert explained, “cybercriminals roam the dark web in search of lists of compromised usernames and passwords.” Hackers hope to break into other accounts belonging to the same user that are protected by the already known password. “When people use the same password everywhere for many years or only change the last digit, they are essentially handing over the keys to their valuable data and even financial accounts to hackers,” added Jake Moore.
That’s why it’s very important to never use the same password even twice.
The expert is convinced that passwords should be long and unique. However, they must also be linked to multi-factor authentication. This means that if a hacker manages to uncover your password, they will still need your computer, a time code, or biometric data to access your account.
Tips for creation reliable password
- Choose an 18-character password consisting of digits, symbols, lowercase and uppercase letters.
- If you find it difficult to remember a long password every time, use a password manager.
- Do not use the same password everywhere you can.
- When creating a password, avoid memorable dates, personal facts, and names. For example, your birthday or your dog’s name.
- Avoid purely digital passwords – they are the least secure.
