Eight Ways to Create Stronger Passwords and Protect Your Accounts
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Know that swapping numbers and characters for letters doesn't help.
Another common belief is that substituting numbers or symbols for letters in words will make accounts more difficult to crack. Since attackers use sophisticated automated tools to hack accounts, the systems are able to swap potential characters. When password length is limited, rather than trying to use common words that use substitution, try to choose values that do not sound like words, or look like anything that would be found in a dictionary (t1i2m3e4 is not as strong as Gu83fv1Z). Another option is to create a sentence you will remember, then use the first letter of every word in the sentence. It is also good to keep up with common passwords being used so you stay away from those as well.
Chances are that you or someone you know has had an account hacked. But do you know how the cyber attacker broke through? In order to truly understand how to protect yourself, you need to understand how personal security breaches occur.
In the movies, cyber attackers shuffle through papers and photos for clues, guessing passwords until they pick the right combination and are granted access.
That is not how it happens in real life.
Cyber attackers use tools to automate the process and then conduct mass attacks across the Internet. These tools use dictionaries, lists of common words or passwords, and then try each one in succession. The name of your dog and birthday don't come into play during an automated attack, and therefore don't matter.
Yet there are steps you can take to help keep your accounts from being breached. Security expert James Jardine of Secure Ideas shares simple ways to foil cyber attackers by creating stronger passwords.
Related Topics : Unisys, Stimulus Package, Security Breaches, Symantec, Electronic Surveillance
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