Longer passwords do not equate to guaranteed safety and security. Even those containing 15 characters can be easily cracked down by digital lurkers. According to Specops Software's research, those 15-character codes can be compromised.
Longer Passwords Can Still Be Hacked With Ease
Based on the Breached Password Protection Database, 8-character passwords remain the most compromised in the category, accounting for 212.5 million passwords.
According to Specops, the latest research shows that passwords with eight characters belong to the default ones for Active Directory Passwords.
We know that having a longer password often means that your account will be safer than users with passwords containing fewer characters. This does not work that way.
Not a FoolProof Way to Guarantee Credential Safety
As TechRadar spotted via Specops Software's Senior Product Manager Darren James, longer passwords tend to be better, but that's not always the case.
According to James, lengthy passwords do not mean that you will be safe from getting cracked. Chances are, you are only increasing your chance of being protected, but in reality, it's not a "foolproof way to avoid compromised credentials."
"Attackers can still find workarounds - and user behavior can undo a good password policy," James adds.
In creating a powerful password, we know that combining uppercase and lowercase letters with numbers and symbols can pave the way for more secure protection.
The phrase Sym_newhire seems to be one of the most commonly compromised passwords for 15-character codes.
Businesses Should Maintain Strong Passwords
With the rise of online hacking and fraud, it's important that businesses should always use strong passwords.
Specops finds that the use of stolen credentials is rampant on Verizon. 86% of the attacks are relying on this method.
When it comes to the duration of being cracked, Specops says that it will only take five minutes for a hacker to crack an eight-character password even if it contains a mix of various symbols and letter sizes.
For a 15-character password, a professional hacker might spend up to 37 million years to hack it. However, this does not apply to all situations.
Businesses should always be alert and vigilant about hacking incidents. They should not establish a false sense of security and think that passwords will only be hacked through phishing campaigns.
In connection to this, baby boomers tend to have stronger passwords than Gen-Z people. The study writes that baby boomers prioritize using unique passwords that they think are "unhackable" by any potential threat actors.
Again, having a longer password is not a sure method that you can get away from cyber attackers. It only decreases the risk of getting hacked, but does not merely eliminate your chance of having your password changed or stolen.
For best results, you can try using a reliable password manager for your browser or app.
