Password security correctly implemented
Tips and tricks for a strong password
Why is a strong password so important? Strings of numbers and letters are still high on the hit list of the most frequently used passwords because they are easy to remember. But for cybercriminals, the convenience of users is a big hit: Insecure, easily cracked passwords make their work easier and for the careless user this can have serious consequences. Why password security is so important and how to create a strong password has been summarized by the experts of Hornetsecurity and presented in the infopaper Password security correctly implemented.
How strong is my password?
In times of digitalization it is not unusual to log in to a wide variety of accounts on a daily basis. As the number of online services increases, so does the number of passwords that a user has to remember. As a result, more and more users are resorting to passwords that are easy to remember. Among the top ten most used German passwords are 123456, password, 00000 and many other passwords of this type.
But these are easy for hackers to crack nowadays. An easy password consisting of six lowercase letters can be combined to a maximum of 308,951,776 possible combinations. A brute-force tool can test these in just a few seconds until the correct character string has been decrypted.
possible combinations a brute force tool is able to try within 6 seconds to crack a password.
Create a strong password
A strong password should be 12 to 16 characters long and should not contain the pet’s name, family name, or any other personal information. It is also important that the chosen password includes special characters such as commas and hyphens. Hornetsecurity’s experts also advise you to use numbers, as well as lower and upper case letters. An example of a strong password: . s~;u+.LT`“tmP?;y. But one strong password is not enough: many users only use one password for many different user accounts. If a cybercriminal manages to guess a password, he has access not only to the email account but also to several other accounts. In the worst case, a hacker could even access the network of the company where the user works.
A different password for each account? And each password contains letters, numbers and special characters? Passwords that are really secure are hard to remember. Nevertheless, the Hornetsecurity experts strongly recommend not to rely on the classic slip of paper on the monitor to remember the complex sequences. The best way to manage passwords is using a password manager or a password vault like KeePass for a higher password security. Only a master key is required for access. But even this should consist of a combination of lower and upper case letters, digits and special characters, which have not been used elsewhere before.
All information summarized
The Infopaper about password security summarizes the recommendations of the Hornetsecurity experts. Download now and get access to tips on creating strong passwords, security issues, password vaults and a password security checklist.
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