In the modern world, everyone has to deal with many online accounts. Social networks, bank applications, workplace platforms, and various retail sites – there are many places where you have to enter a password to use a service. In order to manage all these accounts effectively, users start creating simple or similar passwords, which creates a huge security threat for them. Weak passwords are one of the leading causes of online accounts getting hacked. To ensure better security of your online resources, it is important to understand the common mistakes related to passwords and how to create effective credentials.
What Is the Problem with the Popular Passwords?
Every year, cybersecurity experts study the list of passwords that were revealed during breaches. As a result, studies show that there are many users who use extremely simple passwords.
The most popular passwords include such combinations as:
• 123456
• 123456789
• password
• qwerty
• abc123
• 111111
All of these combinations are used hundreds of thousands or even millions of times globally.
Of course, it’s not the problem that the passwords are extremely simple, but the problem that lies behind them is that they are predictable. Hackers are aware that users tend to use predictable patterns in their passwords, so they try them first when they need to guess user’s login information.
Why Simple Passwords Are Unsafe
Almost all cyberattacks are performed without using highly complex methods. In reality, hackers use automated tools to try millions of password variations within seconds.
For instance, the brute force technique means testing millions of possible passwords within several minutes. As a result, all users who rely on predictable passwords become victims.
• It’s easy to guess sequential numbers;
• The qwerty combination of the keys is widely used;
• Typical words like password are used by millions of people.
What Password Trends Should Users Avoid?
When looking at password data, it is clear that there are certain trends among the users. By avoiding the trends in the passwords, you can make your data safer.
Keyboard patterns. There are many users who create passwords based on patterns of keys on their keyboard. For example:
• qwerty
• 1q2w3e4r
• asdfgh
Such passwords are extremely simple and predictable.
Simple words and names. Some other common passwords include simple words or names like "monkey," "dragon," "michael," etc. Though these passwords might be associated with the user’s personality, they are quite common and easy to guess.
Personal data. People often use such pieces of information about themselves in their passwords as:
• Users’ full name;
• Their birthdates;
• The cities they live in;
This information is usually available in the Internet or known by many people, which is dangerous for the account.
Repeated numbers and symbols. One of the weakest passwords that are used widely is such a combination as 000000 or 111111.
The Main Lessons from These Mistakes
In most cases, it’s easy to see that predictable passwords are unsafe. Most of the weak passwords are characterized by certain features that users have to avoid.
Weak passwords tend to:
• Contain fewer than 12 characters;
• Use only lowercase letters;
• Be simple;
• Not contain any symbols;
Thus, in order to increase the password strength, you should create longer, unpredictable, and more complex credentials.
How to Create Good Passwords
Creating a good password is one of the crucial measures to prevent cybercrimes. Here are some tips to help you create a strong password.
Make a long password. It should include at least 12-16 characters.
Mix different types of characters. A good password has:
• Uppercase letters;
• Lowercase letters;
• Numbers;
• Symbols;
Don’t use words or phrases. If you need to make up a good password, avoid using simple words and phrases.
Use passphrases. One of the best passwords includes passphrases that consist of unrelated words and symbols. For example, you may use such combinations as:
• "BlueTiger$RunsFast92!"
The Advantages of Using Automatically Generated Passwords
It’s known that the most complex and unpredictable passwords are created automatically. There are many websites that help you generate such passwords automatically.
Usually, these passwords:
• Have unpredictable combinations of characters;
• Don’t contain words or phrases;
• Don’t match typical passwords;
• Prevent brute force attacks;
The only problem is that they are hard to remember. In such a case, you need to use additional tools.
Essential Tips for Online Safety
There are a few simple things that everyone should do to ensure better online security.
Use complex and unique passwords. Each password that you create must be complex and unique for a particular account.
Avoid using the same passwords on different services. When a hacker gains access to your password, he or she will try to use it on other sites too.
Enable 2FA. Using two-factor authentication allows adding an additional layer of protection for accounts. Even if someone finds out about your password, he or she will have to go through one more step to gain access to your account. Thus, the second factor can be either a code from a mobile application or a code that is sent to your email or phone.
Never reuse passwords. Nowadays, hackers use a practice called credential stuffing when they use passwords that they got in one place on different sites.
If you don’t want to be affected by such activities, then you should create unique passwords for different accounts.
Use a password manager. Managing several complex passwords becomes hard. In this situation, a password manager will be useful for you as:
• It stores all passwords;
• It automatically fills login forms on websites;
• It generates strong passwords;
Most modern browsers have built-in password managers. However, you may find some additional software tools, including local password managers that store all passwords locally rather than on the web.
Keeping Yourself Organized and Safe
As the number of your accounts grows, you have to think about how to organize them. Here are some tips that can help you keep your accounts protected.
Manage your passwords regularly;
Do not save passwords on your computer or mobile phones;
Log off of accounts on public computers;
Avoid phishing emails and fake login pages.
The Future of Online Password Security
Nowadays, new authentication technologies are emerging. For example, many users can use:
• Biometric authentication;
• Passwordless login systems;
• Passkeys;
Hardware security keys can help prevent many security issues too.
Despite these technological innovations, passwords remain one of the main methods for authentication.
Conclusion
Creating a strong password is one of the easiest ways to protect your data. If you use weak passwords, then you are making an easy target for hackers. Thus, you should avoid using popular passwords, make them longer, more complex, and unpredictable. Using an additional layer of protection in form of two-factor authentication and a password manager will significantly enhance your protection.
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