In 2005, security researcher Mark Burnett, encouraged the creation of a ‘password day’ in hopes that users would update their passwords on an annual basis. Taking a queue from this suggestion, Intel initiated an annual declaration of World Password Day in 2013, celebrated on the first Thursday of May. This annual declaration is an effort to promote awareness of the need for good password security.
Passwords are important. Most of us live in an online world; shopping, banking, research, social media and correspondence. Passwords protect your device or accounts. They are your first line of defense against cyber crooks. It assists with preventing someone from stealing your personal information, identity or money.
Create a strong password
- Longer = Stronger. A passphrase is easier to remember and harder to crack.
- Complexity. Use a combination of upper/lower case, numbers and special characters.
- Unique. Don’t reuse passwords. Each account should have their own password.
- Password managers can assist with keeping track of different passwords.
Common password cracking techniques:
Dictionary attacks use a program that tries a list of words to guess the password. If your password can be found in the dictionary, you are vulnerable to this type of breach.
Phishing uses social engineering to trick a user into revealing their credentials, usually be creating fake login pages while spoofing a legitimate source.
In a brute force attack, the cyber criminal uses software that will try every possible combination to crack the password. It’s a good practice to verify the strength of a password by running through a password checker.
Password and user names that had fallen victim to previous attacks can be accessed by hackers in order to perform credential stuffing. This assault proves the importance of using unique passwords for each account.
When malware infects your device, you may become a victim of a keylogger. This malicious software can track the keystrokes and other activity and give access to the miscreant to carry out further attacks.
Take the opportunity to celebrate this day. Follow the tips above. Don’t forget to add 2-factor authentication to ensure an extra layer of protection is enabled to secure your accounts. Alert your friends, family and coworkers about the importance of passwords.
Resources:
National Today
How to Fix Risky Password Habits
I Hope Your Password Isn’t on the List of 100 Worst Passwords of 2024