{"id":14884,"date":"2019-10-02T09:30:08","date_gmt":"2019-10-02T13:30:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.techwalls.com\/?p=14884"},"modified":"2020-10-02T09:15:58","modified_gmt":"2020-10-02T13:15:58","slug":"common-password-mistakes-you-probably-making","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.techwalls.com\/common-password-mistakes-you-probably-making\/","title":{"rendered":"6 Common Password Mistakes You\u2019re Probably Making"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Picking a weak password is like securing your property or\nvaluables with a rubber lock. Our physical goods tend to get the care and\nsecurity they deserve. But it\u2019s somewhat surprising that most cannot say the\nsame thing for their digital counterparts. The hackers can compromise our\ndefenses with ease. And then you can prepare yourself for deleted files, data\ntheft, malware infection, and all sorts of undesirable consequences. To lessen\nthe chances of this happening, quit making the following common password\nmistakes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

1. Using Common Words<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Common words like the name of your favorite band or a large retail store are easy to remember. But they\u2019re also accessible for others to guess. And hackers know it very well. It\u2019s referred to as a dictionary attack<\/a>, a case where a hacker uses automated software to get access to accounts by using common words and phrases. As the name itself implies, they usually use the English dictionary as the source. But it\u2019s easy to add other word lists  on top of that. Thus, relying on witty combinations is no longer enough to keep you safe either.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

2. Making Passwords Too Short<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The brute force<\/a> password cracking method is precisely\nthat \u2013 trying to guess the password by trying every possible combination in\nexistence. They start with a single character, then add one more and exhaust\nevery possible combination on the list. After that, comes time for three\ncharacters, and so on. As you can see, the shorter the password, the faster it\nfalls. That\u2019s why the world\u2019s most reputable institutions and banks now enforce\nan 8-character minimum length. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Not Including Any Numbers or\nSpecial Characters<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The dictionary attack loves those who don\u2019t bother throwing in a couple of numbers and special characters in the mix. The more any given word resembles any word in the dictionary, the easier it is to crack. Thus, special characters like %, uppercase letters, and numbers are an essential part of a strong password. And you don\u2019t even need to come up with a complicated password yourself. There are tools like NordPass that make the process of coming up with a strong password as easy as pressing a single button.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Reusing The Same Passwords for\nYears<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Have you been reusing the same passwords for years on end?\nIt might make it easier on your memory, but by doing so, you\u2019re paving the way\nfor hackers to get in. Given enough time, hackers can crack even the longest\nand most secure passwords. After all, that\u2019s how brute-forcing works. It tries\nevery possible combination of characters until none are left. All while noting\nall the ones that didn\u2019t work. Thus, you should take no chances and change your\npasswords on a regular basis. And never use the same password twice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Bad Safekeeping Practices<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Do you have your passwords written down on a piece of paper\nsomewhere? Or maybe a notepad documents that\u2019s resting on your desktop? Now is\nthe time to ponder and reconsider if that\u2019s the way you should be storing your\npasswords. Or any other sensitive data for that matter. Can anyone else access\nyour office or PC? Then you should think about an alternative. You can use a\ndedicated password storage solutions or \u2013 at the very least \u2013 encrypt your passwords<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. Incorporating Anything Associating\nWith You<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Does your password include your spouse\u2019s name? Or your pet\u2019s\nname, by chance? Perhaps it mentions the school you were going to when you were\nyoung? If so, a third party can research all of this. Yes, even the information\nthat you\u2019d usually keep private. If someone is willing to drill deep enough,\neven things like the name of your first crush can be discovered. Or guess if\nall else fails. So don\u2019t be one of those poor souls who use the brand of their\ncar as a password. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Your password is the master lock and the first line of defense against hackers and cyber-criminals. It protects your messages, payment information, browsing history, and everything else you hold valuable in a digital world. Make sure you use the best practices possible and make your passwords secure and resilient. Educating yourself is the first step, which you\u2019ve completed upon reading this article. The rest is up to you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Picking a weak password is like securing your property or valuables with a rubber lock. Our physical goods tend to get the care and security they deserve. But it\u2019s somewhat surprising that most cannot say the same thing for their digital counterparts. The hackers can compromise our defenses with ease. And then you can prepare […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":89,"featured_media":8676,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[52],"class_list":{"0":"post-14884","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-news","8":"tag-news-2","9":"entry"},"yoast_head":"\n6 Common Password Mistakes You\u2019re Probably Making - TechWalls<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Picking a weak password is like securing your property or valuables with a rubber lock. Our physical goods tend to get the care and security they deserve. 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