6 Signs Your Password Is Weak
Today, it is vital to think about how secure your password is as you use it daily on various sites. Refresh any potentially leaked passwords you have for a long time now. Plus, data breaches are increasing because of weak passwords, as they are easy to guess. You may be streaming The Pirate Bay, and you do not need a password, but there are other sites that you must have one, and a strong password is vital. Thus, find the right direction and beat cybercriminals by getting a secure password. Below are signs your password is weak, and you need to change it.
- Your password is common
You can check through various data online to know if your password is among the worst passwords and find out why you should change it. Using passwords such as 12345, 11111, I love you, abcde, password, among others, is a sign your password is common and is weak. Thus, having a popular password among most people in the world should signal that you are easy to hack than you may realize. So, consider changing it to something different, strong, and unique and not part of the list of common passwords.
- Your password contains your birthdate
Naive users will think of using their birthdate as they create their passwords. Birthdates are easy to remember but easy to hack with birth information almost everywhere. For instance, everyone wants a birthday cheer on their social media on their birthday. Thus, most people share their birth information on social media sites when they get the opportunity. Hackers know this and thus know where to find data if they need it. Unfortunately, this is a trend among young users, and therefore it becomes an easy pattern to crack.
- You use the keyboard pattern as your password
The keyboard pattern is popular and easy to crack. It may seem wise and unique. But millions of people are thinking in the same way as you. Some of these keyboard patterns people use are 1q2w3e, !@#$%^&, qwerty, among others. Not only are some of these passwords part of the top common passwords, but they are based on keyboard patterns, making them easy to figure out.
- The password is a superhero, plus a number
Superheroes are cool in some contexts, but not as passwords. Think of one superhero, add an iconic movie character, and you have more suggestions for hackers to try out. But, you think it is wise you have a number after it for better security. However, studies show almost half of the leaked passwords end with a number between 1 and 99. Unfortunately, this is simple for hackers to figure out and crack. Some of these passwords are Wonderwoman80, Spiderman 123, among others.
- Your passwords are too short
What is the best password length that is easy to remember and secure? Any password with less than ten characters is easy to crack. Plus, shorter does not mean it is memorable for you can find ways to remember long passwords. You can have a 14 character password, but hard to remember, but a lengthy paraphrase of more than 20 characters with special characters is easy to remember and secure. Plus, it is not simple to brute force on anyone anytime.
- You are too cool to care
Looking for an original password can be a challenge. But, remember, the online attackers are waiting on the society disenchanted. Choosing passwords like whatever, blabla, and others are choosing weak passwords and links to your access. Also, choosing a password with a word backward is not being original. You have only reversed the word, making it easier for the hackers to crack it.
To conclude, avoid the above mistakes when choosing any password. Also, using user-created passwords are always predictable. For this reason, to win any cracking attempts, choose a password with maximum entropy and difference in every site. Plus, you can ensure you use a password manager to create the passwords for you. If available, turn on authenticator protocols. More importantly, change your password often. Remember, passwords are handy in protecting some of the most sensitive things. It is best then to consider having the best password.
