We all assume hackers won’t crack our own passwords, even if they’re simple ones with only a few characters.
But just how easy is it for someone to break your password and access your online login?
According to new research, anything with six characters, regardless of whether numbers and symbol are included, can be cracked instantly.
The same goes for anything that is seven or eight characters but made up of just numbers or lower case letters. (see here how to create and check your Secure Passwords)
But the news doesn’t get much better for any eight character combination.
In fact, they can all be guessed in about 39 minutes according to US cybersecurity company Hive Systems, which is based in Richmond, Virginia.
On the flip side the way to guarantee that your password won’t be cracked for some 438 trillion years is to use 18 characters made up of numbers, upper and lower case letters and symbols.
© Provided by Daily Mail New research suggests that any password with six characters, regardless of whether numbers and symbol are included, can be cracked instantly. Hive Systems made the colour-coded table (pictured), showing how safe users’ passwords really are
TOP TEN MOST USED PASSWORDS IN 2021
TABLE TITLE
| RANK | PASSWORD | TIME TO CRACK | |
| 1 | 123456 | < 1 sec | |
| 2 | 123456789 | < 1 sec | |
| 3 | 12345 | < 1 sec | |
| 4 | qwerty | < 1 sec | |
| 5 | password | < 1 sec | |
| 6 | 12345678 | < 1 sec | |
| 7 | 111111 | < 1 sec | |
| 8 | 123123 | < 1 sec | |
| 9 | 1234567890 | < 1 sec | |
| 10 | 1234567 | < 1 sec | |
| SOURCE: NordPass |
Of course, that would take you quite a while to input every time.
A more manageable 11 character password featuring the same alternative features would be cracked in around 34 years, the research suggests.
Hive Systems made the colour-coded table for 2022, showing how safe users’ passwords really are.
The company said its data was ‘based on how long it would take a consumer-budget hacker to crack your password hash using a desktop computer with a top-tier graphics card’.
‘If you use the same password on multiple sites, you’re in for a bad time,’ Hive Systems wrote in a blog post.
The firm also discussed hashing, a technique which protects stolen passwords, and how hackers get around the one-way algorithm.
In the context of passwords, a ‘hash’ is a scrambled version of text that is reproducible if you know what hash software was used.
For example, if the word ‘password’ is hashed using MD5 software the output would be 5f4dcc3b5aa765d61d8327deb882cf99.
Passwords you use on websites are stored in servers as hashes instead of in plain text like ‘password’ so that if someone views them, in theory, they won’t know the actual password.
In the given example for ‘password’, the hacker would only see 5f4dcc3b5aa765d61d8327deb882cf99.
© Provided by Daily Mail Hive Systems said its data was ‘based on how long it would take a consumer-budget hacker to crack your password hash using a desktop computer with a top-tier graphics card’
EC Computers can help you with your passwords and provide a Password Manager that you can safely store all your own passwords
– Call us now on 0117 200 1000 or complete our Contact Us Page
TEN MOST COMMON PASSWORDS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM
TABLE TITLE
| RANK | PASSWORD | TIME TO CRACK | USERS |
| 1 | 123456 | < 1 sec | 571107 |
| 2 | password | < 1 sec | 423192 |
| 3 | liverpool | < 1 sec | 224160 |
| 4 | password1 | < 1 sec | 162086 |
| 5 | 123456789 | < 1 sec | 152801 |
| 6 | 12345 | < 1 sec | 151914 |
| 7 | qwerty | < 1 sec | 145626 |
| 8 | liverpool1 | 2 Seconds | 123328 |
| 9 | charlie | < 1 sec | 109524 |
| 10 | arsenal | < 1 sec | 107899 |
| SOURCE: NordPass |
10 EXPERT TIPS ON HOW TO CREATE A STRONG AND UNIQUE PASSWORD
DO
– Use a mix of special characters, numbers, capital letters. Including a range of upper and lower-case letters, as well as numbers and symbols (such as $ £ !), makes passwords securer and harder to hack.
– Aim for a long password with a minimum of 8-12 characters. The longer the password, the better. Longer passwords require more time to work out combinations and hackers looking for a quick win may be deterred.
– Use multi-factor authentication. Two-factor authentication requires hackers to get through two layers of security checks before they can get onto your account.
– Use a password manager. When creating multiple unique passwords, it can be tricky to remember them all. Instead of writing passwords down or on your phone’s notes, there are many apps and websites where you can safely store these passwords instead.
– Change your passwords regularly. Changing your passwords often reduces the risk of your accounts being compromised.
DON’T
– Don’t use personal information in your passwords. Stay away from using any type of personal information in your passwords, such as a name, date of birth, or your pet’s name. This information can easily be discovered by hackers from social media profiles or even public conversations.
– Don’t use obvious sequences of letters or numbers. Avoid using numbers and letters in common sequences such as 1234 or qwerty. These generic formats and memorable keyboard paths are the first to be guessed by hackers.
– Don’t tell anyone your password. Keep your passwords to yourself. If you were to share a password, make sure to change it soon after.
– Don’t automatically save passwords to your browser. It may be very convenient, but allowing your browser to save passwords risks your details being viewed by other people that use your devices.
– Don’t use the same password across multiple accounts. It’s important to not reuse passwords. If one account was to be hacked it could result in exposing other accounts to be breached with the same password.
