On May 2nd, World Password Day - what do we know about a secure password
World Password Day is the perfect opportunity to remind ourselves how important it is to create strong and secure passwords. Here are some key principles that will help you create a password that even the most determined hacker will have difficulty breaking:
Length and Complexity: To make a password truly difficult to crack, it is recommended to use at least 16 characters. The more, the better. Include both uppercase letters (A-Z), lowercase letters (a-z), numbers (0-9), and special characters such as @, #, $, %, &, *, (, ), _, +.
Avoid Personal Associations: Avoid using passwords that are easy to guess based on your personal information, such as names, birth dates, surnames, or addresses. Hackers often research their targets, so the less obvious the password, the better.
Avoid Complete Words: Using complete words, even less obvious ones, can be risky due to dictionary attacks, where hackers systematically try to break a password using complete words from dictionaries. To bypass this, you can mix letters with numbers and special characters inside words or use acronyms, mnemonic abbreviations, or randomly selected character combinations.
Use Passphrases: A very good way to create a strong and memorable password is to use a passphrase, a long sequence of words forming a sentence. For example, "My cat eats 2 bananas in 2023!" is a strong password that combines different types of characters and is long, yet easy to remember.
Regular Password Changes: Regularly changing passwords, at least every few months, can help protect against potential threats resulting from data breaches. However, due to practical difficulties, more and more experts recommend using very strong passwords and only changing them in case of a security breach.
Use Additional Security Measures: In addition to a strong password, consider using other forms of authentication, such as two-factor authentication (2FA), which requires providing an additional code generated by an app or sent via SMS after entering the password.
Following these principles not only significantly increases the security of your online accounts, but also minimizes the risk of your personal data being compromised.
History of the First Password: The first use of passwords in a way similar to today's occurred in ancient Rome. Passwords were used by guards to verify the identities of people trying to enter military camps at night. The guard would call for the password, and the person had to respond correctly to gain access.
Despite this historical use, the true digital era of passwords began in the 1960s, when Fernando Corbató introduced the use of passwords in the CTSS (Compatible Time-Sharing System) at MIT. This was necessary to ensure privacy and security of information stored on shared computers. This solution quickly became a standard in computer security systems.
By remembering these principles and their historical roots, we can better protect our digital identity and information.
World Password Day is the perfect opportunity to remind ourselves how important it is to create strong and secure passwords. Here are some key principles that will help you create a password that even the most determined hacker will have difficulty breaking:
Length and Complexity: To make a password truly difficult to crack, it is recommended to use at least 16 characters. The more, the better. Include both uppercase letters (A-Z), lowercase letters (a-z), numbers (0-9), and special characters such as @, #, $, %, &, *, (, ), _, +.
Avoid Personal Associations: Avoid using passwords that are easy to guess based on your personal information, such as names, birth dates, surnames, or addresses. Hackers often research their targets, so the less obvious the password, the better.
Avoid Complete Words: Using complete words, even less obvious ones, can be risky due to dictionary attacks, where hackers systematically try to break a password using complete words from dictionaries. To bypass this, you can mix letters with numbers and special characters inside words or use acronyms, mnemonic abbreviations, or randomly selected character combinations.
Use Passphrases: A very good way to create a strong and memorable password is to use a passphrase, a long sequence of words forming a sentence. For example, "My cat eats 2 bananas in 2023!" is a strong password that combines different types of characters and is long, yet easy to remember.
Regular Password Changes: Regularly changing passwords, at least every few months, can help protect against potential threats resulting from data breaches. However, due to practical difficulties, more and more experts recommend using very strong passwords and only changing them in case of a security breach.
Use Additional Security Measures: In addition to a strong password, consider using other forms of authentication, such as two-factor authentication (2FA), which requires providing an additional code generated by an app or sent via SMS after entering the password.
Following these principles not only significantly increases the security of your online accounts, but also minimizes the risk of your personal data being compromised.
History of the First Password: The first use of passwords in a way similar to today's occurred in ancient Rome. Passwords were used by guards to verify the identities of people trying to enter military camps at night. The guard would call for the password, and the person had to respond correctly to gain access.
Despite this historical use, the true digital era of passwords began in the 1960s, when Fernando Corbató introduced the use of passwords in the CTSS (Compatible Time-Sharing System) at MIT. This was necessary to ensure privacy and security of information stored on shared computers. This solution quickly became a standard in computer security systems.
By remembering these principles and their historical roots, we can better protect our digital identity and information.
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