Today our lives are increasingly intertwined with digital platforms, from banking and shopping to social media and gaming. Our virtual identities are protected by our passwords. But just how screwed would you be if your password was hacked?
Sure, if someone hacked that mobile game you love, you’d be a bit sad… but what if you’ve got bad password habits and the effects of that are much wider reaching…?
Unique passwords, please!
Let’s run with this example… let’s say you use the same password for your mobile game, your Facebook account, your email, and your bank account.
I know passwords are hard to remember and it’s more common than you’d think to use the same password for each, but let me demonstrate why this is a terrible idea.
If there was a data breach associated with your favourite mobile game and hackers had access to your password, they would run programs to test your login credentials against tonnes of websites until they got a ping.
So your gaming password that was compromised now gives them access to your Facebook account, to your shopping account, to your email and to your bank account.
Sure, you might not be sad about never playing your game again but losing access to a social media account can be pretty devastating, especially if it’s connected to your business.
Many things nowadays have 2 factor authentication but if they’ve got access to your email address, that’s now a breeze!
It’s an absolute must to use different passwords for different accounts even if you think it’s something unimportant.
Strong passwords, I beg you…
The stronger your password, the stronger your position!
Other than a data breach, your password can also be exposed by hackers trying to brute force your password by “guessing”. This guessing is on a massive scale and involves algorithms etc. but they just keep going til they crack it.
The length of time it takes a hacker to crack your password depends on its complexity. Below are examples, and rough estimates as to how long it would take:
Simple passwords such as “password123” can be cracked almost instantly.
More complicated passwords such as “P@ssw0rd1” could take several hours, but also could take only minutes.
The higher complexity passwords such as “Th1$1s$trongP@$$w0rd”, can take a hacker years to crack with brute-force attacks.
These are obviously “simple” examples and thus would be cracked even faster but you can see how there’s a scale.
A study by Hive Systems in 2023 illustrates this through a graph (shown below) showing how different combinations of characters affect hacking times.
Password Strategies
Unique Passwords for Different Accounts
Creating a different password for every account is among the easiest yet most powerful tactics when it comes to protecting yourself. The harm is limited even in the event that one password is compromised. It may seem daunting to have to remember so many different passwords, but systems such as password managers and other similar software make it so much easier.
Password Managers
Bitwarden and LastPass are great for generating strong, unique passwords and storing them securely for you. I prefer Bitwarden as LastPass has a history of being breached. If online password managers scare you, I’d honestly rather you used a notebook and wrote down the unique passwords rather than having the same one for ease!
Creating Strong Passwords
Strong passwords are lengthy, complex and difficult to figure out. Make sure you steer clear of common phrases or personal information that is readily available. To create a strong password make use of a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. You could also use a set of words that are easy for you to remember but difficult for others to figure out. For instance, instead of “virtualbird” use “V1rtu@lB!rd”.
Password managers also have password generators in them so they’ll generate a strong unique password for every website without you having to come up with a pattern.
Two-factor authentication (2FA)
Two-factor authentication (2FA) is a security system that requires two separate, distinct forms of identification in order to access something.
The first factor is a password and the second commonly includes a text with a code sent to your smartphone, or biometrics using your fingerprint or face. As an added security measure, two-factor authentication will significantly lessen the possibility of a hacker gaining access, even if they were to manage to obtain your password, they would still need the second factor in order to access your account.
Check Your Details
Make a habit of regularly putting your email through Have I Been Pwned… it regularly runs your email address through online databases of breaches and tells you what you need to lock down further!
Delete Unused Accounts
If you signed up for an account for something but don’t use it, delete your account! The less places your details are stored, the safer your information will be!
Bonus Tips
Update Passwords Frequently
It’s a good idea to change your passwords periodically, especially for critical accounts like banking and email.
Be Cautious of Phishing Attacks: Avoid falling victim to phishing attacks by not clicking on dubious links and giving your password away to unsolicited requests.
A compromised password might result in anything from little annoyances to severe loss of personal and financial resources. By ensuring that you are using strong passwords and that they are one-of-a-kind, that you use password managers, and that two-factor authentication is always enabled where offered, you can significantly lower the chance of a breach.
Safeguard your passwords as though they were vital to your survival—which they essentially are.
Let me know if this blog inspired you to ramp up your security!
A x