Tools for breaking passwords are continuously advancing. The integration of AI has notably decreased the time needed to forcefully crack passwords and this development is ongoing.
Despite the progress in password cracking techniques, the principles for crafting secure passwords have remained consistently unchanged. It is vital to opt for distinct, robust, lengthy, and intricate passwords to bolster security measures.
Nevertheless, many users still overlook these basic guidelines, either by reusing passwords or selecting feeble ones, thereby facilitating threat actors to breach them swiftly.
Common methods like: Brute force and dictionary attacks are frequently employed to crack passwords. Dictionary attacks involve exploiting breached password lists to rapidly break a percentage of passwords. In contrast, brute force attacks entail attempting every conceivable character combination on a password.
Chart of Password Cracking in 2024
The researchers at Hive Systems have revised their password cracking chart to represent the current leaps in computing power and security protocols.
The chart showcases the duration required for a system armed with twelve RTX 4090 graphics cards to crack passwords based on various scenarios like “solely numbers”, lowercase letters, uppercase and lowercase letters, “numbers, uppercase and lowercase letters,” and “numbers, uppercase and lowercase letters, symbols”.
For instance, an 8-character password consisting exclusively of numbers can be cracked in 37 seconds with this configuration. If lowercase letters are included, the duration increases to 22 hours. For a password comprising a blend of characters such as numbers, uppercase and lowercase letters, and symbols, it might take up to 7 years for the system to crack it.
To assess the security integrity of a password, weigh its length and character composition. Based on these aspects, you can refer to the chart to ascertain the period needed for Hive System’s machine to break that specific password.
Reminder: More potent configurations can drastically diminish the time required to forcefully crack passwords. Therefore, even if a password appears secure according to this chart, it could still be susceptible to assaults from more potent systems.
Recommendations for Passwords in 2024
1. Always incorporate numbers, uppercase and lowercase letters, and symbols, provided that the application or service offers these variations.
2. Opt for 16 characters or above, if the service or application permits.
3. Utilize distinct passwords for various accounts.
Given the challenge of memorizing multiple unique 16-character passwords, it is advisable to utilize a password manager. Bitwarden is a commendable choice as it is open-source with a free version accessible. The pro version provides extra features at a nominal cost of $10 per year.
Boosting Security Measures
Aside from password cracking tactics, certain attacks like phishing can unveil passwords without the necessity for brute forcing. Phishing endeavors deceive users into disclosing their credentials by redirecting them to counterfeit sites or apps.
Incorporating two-factor authentication augments an additional security layer. It entails using an authenticator app to generate a unique code for validation alongside the login credentials. This additional step obstructs unauthorized access even if passwords are compromised.
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