Evaluating Password Strength and Online Security
Key Takeaways
- Weak passwords are a leading cause of account hacks, impacting hundreds of thousands of users daily
- An online tool quickly evaluates password strength and estimates cracking time for any entry
- Adding numbers, symbols, and extra characters dramatically increases password security
- Password managers like RoboForm are recommended for generating and storing unique, strong passwords
Cyberattacks targeting email and social media accounts are becoming increasingly common. Each day, approximately 320,000 Facebook accounts, 70,000 Google accounts, 60,000 Yahoo accounts, and 22,000 Twitter accounts have their passwords stolen. The primary reason for these breaches is that many users choose weak passwords. For instance, following a major breach affecting 38 million Adobe customers in October 2013, analysis revealed that nearly 2 million accounts used “123456” as their password.
A website called howsecureismypassword.net offers a simple way to test password strength. Users can enter any password, and the tool estimates how long a standard desktop computer would need to crack it. As an example, a six-character password consisting only of letters was deemed vulnerable and could be cracked instantly. The tool advised adding numbers, symbols, and additional characters to improve security. After updating the password with these elements, the site estimated that cracking it would take around 63 million years, classifying it as sufficiently secure.
The website also recommends using a password manager such as RoboForm. This approach helps users create and store unique, strong passwords for different accounts, significantly enhancing online security. Implementing these practices can protect personal data and reduce the risk of unauthorized access.
