Typically, a password “hash” is stored rather than a plaintext copy of the password itself. The service uses that data to verify that you are the account holder and are entering the correct password when logging in. What do we mean by “cracking” a password?īefore we look at what makes a password easier to crack, we should clarify what is meant by the phrase “cracking a password.” As explained in the Hive Systems study methodology, when you use a website or app that requires a password to log in, password data is stored on their servers. Password length, diversity of character types, and uniqueness all play a significant role in how long it takes to crack your password. But do you know how to pick better passwords that keep hackers out? A new study published by cybersecurity company Hive Systems dives into the specific characteristics of strong passwords and what you can do to make yours uncrackable. Person: Was it trombone? No, Troubador.Could a hacker crack your password in a few seconds? Or would it take lifetimes before a supercomputer could figure yours out? Making a few tweaks to your password strategy can take you from a hacker’s dream to an uncrackable account. Yes, cracking a stolen hash is faster, but it's not what the average user should worry about.) (Plausible attack on a weak remote web service. (You can add a few more bits to account for the fact that this is only one of a few common formats.) Uncommon (non-gibberish) base word ]Ĭaps? ]Ĭommon Substitutions ] On each row, the first panel explains the breakdown of a password, the second panel shows how long it would take for a computer to guess, and the third panel provides an example scene showing someone trying to remember the password.)) The comic is laid out with 6 panels arranged in a 3x2 grid. A set of boxes is used to indicate how many bits of entropy a section of the password provides. ((The comic illustrates the relative strength of passwords assuming basic knowledge of the system used to generate them.

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