How Secure Is My Password?

Data breaches and identity theft are on the rise, and the cause is often compromised passwords. After stealing credentials, cybercriminals can use passwords to start disinformation campaigns against companies, use people’s payment information for purchases, and spy on users through WiFi-connected security cameras. We built this tool to help you better understand password security.

How To Create Secure Passwords

In today's digital age, it's more important than ever to create strong and secure passwords to protect your personal and sensitive information from cyber criminals. Here are some tips to help you create strong passwords for your devices:

1. Make it long. As we mentioned earlier, a strong password should be at least 12 characters long, but ideally, it should be 16 characters or more. Longer passwords are harder to crack and provide better protection for your accounts.

2. Use a mix of characters. Your password should include a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters. Avoid using easily guessable combinations like "123456" or "qwerty".

3. Don't reuse passwords. Using the same password for multiple accounts can put all your accounts at risk if one password is compromised. Use unique passwords for each account.
4. Don't share your password. Keep your password private and don't share it with anyone, even trusted friends or family members.
5. Avoid using personal information. Don't use personal information like your name, birthdate, or address in your password. This information is often easy to find and can make it easier for hackers to crack your password.
6. Don't use consecutive letters or numbers. Avoid using consecutive letters or numbers like "abc" or "123" in your password, as they are easy to guess.

7. Don't use common words or phrases. Avoid using common words or phrases like "password" or "letmein". These are the first passwords that hackers will try to guess.

By following these tips, you can create strong and secure passwords for your devices and protect your personal and sensitive information from cyberattacks. Remember to change your password regularly and use a password manager if you find it difficult to remember multiple passwords. Stay safe online by taking the time to create a strong password today!

Why Is Password Security Important?

It's crucial to prioritize password security as weak passwords can lead to catastrophic consequences for both individuals and businesses. Here are some reasons why:

• Password security is important because it protects personal and sensitive information from being accessed by unauthorized individuals.
• Weak passwords can be easily cracked by hackers, leading to identity theft, financial fraud, and other malicious activities.
• A compromised password can give hackers access to multiple accounts, which can lead to more severe consequences.
• Data breaches caused by weak passwords can lead to loss of customer trust and reputation damage for businesses.
• Password security is particularly important for organizations that handle sensitive data such as healthcare providers, financial institutions, and government agencies.
• Strong passwords can prevent brute-force attacks and other common hacking techniques.
• Password security is a fundamental aspect of cybersecurity, and neglecting it can leave individuals and organizations vulnerable to a wide range of cyber threats.

The Impact of Stolen Passwords

According to Verizon's 2022 Data Breach Investigations Report:

• Over 80% of hacking-related breaches involved stolen or weak passwords.
• Password-related issues are a significant factor in cybersecurity threats.
• 81% of hacking-related breaches were caused by the use of stolen passwords.
• Weak passwords were also a contributing factor to these breaches.
• The use of stolen or weak passwords makes it easier for hackers to gain unauthorized access to sensitive information.

 Past Data Breaches Caused by Weak Passwords

The consequences of a data breach can be severe, resulting in not only financial losses but also damage to a company's reputation and loss of customer trust. According to the 2022 Cost of a Data Breach Report by IBM Security and Ponemon Institute, a data breach in the US costs an average of $9.44 million, and globally it costs an average of $4.35 million. Below are some alarming incidents that occurred in recent years, all caused by weak passwords:

• Microsoft, March 2021: Suffered a cyberattack by Chinese hacking group Hafnium, targeting hundreds of thousands of on-premises servers using stolen passwords, and creating web shells around them to remotely steal email data.
• Verkada, March 2021: Security cameras of over 5,000 customers were breached by hackers using an admin password leaked online in a misconfigured customer support server, and 16 customers had credentials breached.
• New York City Law Department: Attacker accessed sensitive information of thousands of city employees, evidence of police misconduct, medical records for plaintiffs, and the identities of children charged with serious crimes using a single employee’s stolen email account password due to lack of multifactor authentication compliance.
• GoDaddy: Security breach compromised the accounts of over a million of its WordPress customers, with attackers using a compromised password to hack into the provisioning system in the company’s legacy code for Managed WordPress, and access was blocked after two months.
• Zoom, 2020: The video conferencing platform Zoom faced backlash after several reports of “Zoom-bombing” - uninvited attendees disrupting meetings - surfaced. The issue was caused by weak passwords and the lack of a password policy.

Other Ways To Protect Yourself Online

Aside from creating secure and unique passwords for all web accounts, there are other best practices to increase one’s digital security.Aside from creating secure and unique passwords for all web accounts, there are other best practices to increase one’s digital security.

1. Use a VPN: While passwords keep unauthorized users out of accounts, Internet Service Providers can still track a user’s online activity as well as their devices’ private IP addresses. The only way to hide web activity and IP addresses is to connect not directly to a public Wi-Fi network, but instead to a VPN, which stands for Virtual Private Network. Learn more about finding the best VPN, all tested by our digital security experts.
2. Get identity theft protection: While a strong password can go a long way in protecting online accounts, there’s no single action that can protect a user’s personally identifiable information from identity theft. Rather, top identity theft protection software monitors key criminal and financial areas for users’ personal information.
3. Install a home security system: Users can protect their homes and families by using the best home security system. See how we tested these top systems by reading our ADT Review, our SimpliSafe Review and finally our Vivint Review.
4. Use antivirus software: Antivirus software scans computers, phones, and tablets for malware, viruses, ransomware, spyware, and other cyber threats.
5. Use a password manager: Password managers store users’ usernames and passwords in encrypted vaults, requiring only master passwords or biometrics to log into accounts.
6. Only change passwords when needed: It’s a myth that users should change their passwords in regular intervals. Rather, it’s only necessary to change passwords if the account itself is compromised, according to recent reports.

1. Use a VPN: While passwords keep unauthorized users out of accounts, Internet Service Providers can still track a user’s online activity as well as their devices’ private IP addresses. The only way to hide web activity and IP addresses is to connect not directly to a public Wi-Fi network, but instead to a VPN, which stands for Virtual Private Network. Learn more about finding the best VPN, all tested by our digital security experts.
2. Get identity theft protection: While a strong password can go a long way in protecting online accounts, there’s no single action that can protect a user’s personally identifiable information from identity theft. Rather, top identity theft protection software monitors key criminal and financial areas for users’ personal information.
3. Install a home security system: Users can protect their homes and families by using the best home security system. See how we tested these top systems by reading our ADT Review, our SimpliSafe Review and finally our Vivint Review.
4. Use antivirus software: Antivirus software scans computers, phones, and tablets for malware, viruses, ransomware, spyware, and other cyber threats.
5. Use a password manager: Password managers store users’ usernames and passwords in encrypted vaults, requiring only master passwords or biometrics to log into accounts.
6. Only change passwords when needed: It’s a myth that users should change their passwords in regular intervals. Rather, it’s only necessary to change passwords if the account itself is compromised, according to recent reports.

How Our Tool Works: Methodology

At SecurityFuse.com, we take the security of our users very seriously. That's why we've created a password checker tool to help you evaluate the strength of your passwords and bring awareness to the risks of using weak passwords. Our "SecurePass" tool works by evaluating each password based on key factors, such as:

• Length: The password should have at least 16 characters or more, as longer passwords are harder to crack.
• Complexity: The password should include a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols to create a unique and complex password.
• Uniqueness: The password should not contain any personal information or easily guessed words.

Our tool scores each password and provides an estimate of how long it would take a computer to crack it. This helps you understand the strength of your passwords and make any necessary changes to ensure your accounts are as secure as possible. We encourage all our users to take advantage of this tool to safeguard their accounts and personal information. At SecurityFuse.com, we are committed to providing the best resources and information to help our users stay secure online.

Frequently Asked Questions

For more information on password security and hygiene, we’ve answered the questions we get the most often.

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