![]() ![]() government (CISA) have recommended using password managers. The software "remembers" all the rest.Ĭybersecurity experts from the U.S. In this way, the user must only remember one strong password to unlock the database. Encryption works by scrambling the contents of the database so that only the person who knows the key (the database password) can unscramble the content. Users can store as many passwords as they like inside it. A Solution: Password ManagersĪ password manager is software that uses encryption technology to make a virtual "notebook," or database. It is difficult to remember so many passwords, especially when different sites have their own password format requirements.įortunately, there is a secure and convenient way to protect accounts with strong, unique passwords: Use a password manager. 6 This discrepancy is likely to continue to grow. One research study estimated that an average user has one to seven unique passwords, but uses them on 10 to 50 online accounts. Unfortunately, users have many accounts to maintain across websites and devices. ![]() 5 In general, a password is strong if it is long and random. A helpful strategy for making long passwords is combining random words (such as "orangeeaglekeyshoe") as shown in this Stanford University infographic explaining password complexity. Adding additional complexity (such as capital letters, numbers, or symbols) can help increase the strength of a password, although length is more important. Criminals use dictionary lists in some password attacks. ![]() Third, users should avoid using a simple word (such as one found in a dictionary) as a password. However, not all devices or websites do this, and password length remains an essential aspect of password security. 4 Fortunately, some online platforms limit the number of login attempts (within a short time period) to prevent some of these attacks. Second, each unique password should be long enough to impose a high computational cost, making brute-force attack methods ineffective.įor example, a Tulane University calculator tool estimates a 15-character password, with two uppercase letters and 13 lowercase letters, would take more than 3.7 million years to try all possible combinations. It is crucial to avoid password reuse because of the methods criminals use when attempting to access online accounts. What Makes a Strong Password?įirst, a password should be unique to each account a user owns. Examples of insecure versus more secure passwords. If passwords are so crucial to securing our identities and transactions, why do many people struggle? To answer this question, it helps to understand what makes a strong password and the challenges users face in remembering so many passwords. 3ĭespite these issues, most people do not follow good password practices (Figure 1). Criminals can also use "brute-force" techniques with software to guess passwords. Even if a user's password is different across accounts but uses a similar base with an added suffix or prefix, this significantly narrows down the number of guesses for a targeted attack on an individual. In that case, criminals can use the revealed password of a user to attempt to access that user's other accounts. Suppose a large company experiences a data breach (thousands happen each year in the United States alone), and attackers publicly post customer login information. 2 One of the ways criminals perpetrate these crimes is by taking over online accounts. 1 The Federal Trade Commission reported nearly 1.4 million cases of identity theft in the same year, which is almost double the amount reported in 2019. The FBI received more than 790,000 complaints of cybercrime in 2020 alone. Unfortunately, many users create short, predictable passwords for their accounts - or worse, they use the same password across many different websites, which can make it easier for criminals to access their information. People who routinely use technology know the frustration of creating username and password combinations for most devices and online services. Purdue Extension Publication ACE-15-W By Alexander Master Information Security Researcher Purdue University Center for Education and Research in Information Assurance and Security ( CERIAS) New: April 2022 About 3,000 words/15 minutes to read The Problem with passwords Password Managers: Secure Passwords the Easy Way ![]()
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