Aristotle Digitips

The Power of 12

Is your password really safe?

I am sure you are all familiar with the saying “Good things come in small packages." Well, that isn’t always the case, especially when you are talking about computer passwords. Technology experts now agree that bigger is better and that unless you are using a 12-digit randomized password, your confidential information is not secure.

“Eight-character passwords are inadequate now ... If eight characters is all you use, and if you restrict your characters to only alphabetic letters, it can be cracked in minutes,” said Richard Boyd, a senior researcher at Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI).

Research from GTRI indicates passwords must contain at least 12 randomized characters consisting of case letters, numbers and symbols. Make your password secure; include a combination of upper and lower case letters along with punctuation marks and other symbols throughout the password. Using something like a two-digit number, pound sign, scrambled word, question mark followed by four more numbers would help ensure your security. Anything else — a keyword, a birthday or a pattern of symbols — makes you easy prey and will render you unable to escape a new generation of encryption cracking software.

Hackers use a wide variety of different types of password hacking programs that can take anywhere from 10 minutes to several months to delve into your personal information. The most common methods of attack are:

Dictionary Attacks: A dictionary attack works on the premise that most computer users choose a password that is easy for them to remember so they do not have to worry about memorizing or forgetting their passwords. Dictionary attack programs use all of the words in the dictionary to try and guess your password. This includes variations of the word and different word combinations. The program will keep trying different words and combinations until it comes up with the right password.
Ciphertext Attacks: A ciphertext attack can uncover a password that is in plaintext format by using cryptanalysis which is a decrypting process used by password crackers. The encryption device for the plaintext password is easily controlled provided the encryption algorithms contain no vulnerabilities. Cryptanalysis is used in conjunction with a dictionary attack to determine the plaintext password.
Brute Force Attacks: A brute force attack works just like the name implies. This type of attack uses brute force by using a program that keeps attempting every password that is possible until it hits the right one. Brute force attacks take a long time to execute especially if the passwords are long and contain a lot of different combinations.

As you know, computer technology is always full-steam ahead, and it won’t be long before hackers figure out how to beat this technique as well. For now, be safe.





	The Power of 12 Is your password really safe? I am sure you are all familiar with the saying “Good things come in small packages." Well, that isn’t always the case, especially when you are talking about computer passwords. Technology experts now agree that bigger is better and that unless you are using a 12-digit randomized password, your confidential information is not secure. “Eight-character passwords are inadequate now ... If eight characters is all you use, and if you restrict your characters to only alphabetic letters, it can be cracked in minutes,” said Richard Boyd, a senior researcher at Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI). Research from GTRI indicates passwords must contain at least 12 randomized characters consisting of case letters, numbers and symbols. Make your password secure; include a combination of upper and lower case letters along with punctuation marks and other symbols throughout the password. Using something like a two-digit number, pound sign, scrambled word, question mark followed by four more numbers would help ensure your security. Anything else — a keyword, a birthday or a pattern of symbols — makes you easy prey and will render you unable to escape a new generation of encryption cracking software. Hackers use a wide variety of different types of password hacking programs that can take anywhere from 10 minutes to several months to delve into your personal information. The most common methods of attack are: Dictionary Attacks: A dictionary attack works on the premise that most computer users choose a password that is easy for them to remember so they do not have to worry about memorizing or forgetting their passwords. Dictionary attack programs use all of the words in the dictionary to try and guess your password. This includes variations of the word and different word combinations. The program will keep trying different words and combinations until it comes up with the right password. Ciphertext Attacks: A ciphertext attack can uncover a password that is in plaintext format by using cryptanalysis which is a decrypting process used by password crackers. The encryption device for the plaintext password is easily controlled provided the encryption algorithms contain no vulnerabilities. Cryptanalysis is used in conjunction with a dictionary attack to determine the plaintext password. Brute Force Attacks: A brute force attack works just like the name implies. This type of attack uses brute force by using a program that keeps attempting every password that is possible until it hits the right one. Brute force attacks take a long time to execute especially if the passwords are long and contain a lot of different combinations. As you know, computer technology is always full-steam ahead, and it won’t be long before hackers figure out how to beat this technique as well. For now, be safe.