Password cracking is a popular activity among malicious hackers, as it provides a sense of excitement and enables them to obtain passwords. However, not all hackers have an insatiable desire to crack passwords. In secure password-based authentication systems, the actual password of the user is not stored. Instead, a password hash is used, which is difficult for a hacker to reverse engineer. The hash function is a one-way process, which means that it is challenging to find the input that produces a specific output. The comparison of two password hashes is a reliable way of verifying a user’s identity. Password cracking involves extracting the password from the associated password hash, which can be accomplished using various methods, such as:
Dictionary attack: Many users tend to use weak and commonly used passwords, making it easy for a hacker to gain access to their accounts. By adding simple variations, such as substituting symbols like ‘$’ for letters like ‘S’, and using a list of commonly used words, a hacker can quickly obtain a large number of passwords.
Brute-force guessing attack: Given a certain password length, there are a multitude of potential passwords that could be created. However, utilizing a brute-force attack can ultimately lead to the password being cracked by a determined hacker. This attack method involves systematically trying every possible combination of characters until the correct password is discovered, making it a potentially time-consuming but effective way for cybercriminals to gain access to protected systems or data.
Hybrid Attack: This attack utilizes a combination of the dictionary attack and brute-force attack techniques. Initially, it attempts to crack the password using the dictionary attack method. If unsuccessful, it will resort to the brute-force attack technique.
How to create a strong password?
There exist 12 password cracking tools that implement various algorithms to crack passwords, many of which are freely available. As such, it is essential to create a strong password, and the following tips should be kept in mind:
- The length of a password is a crucial factor in increasing its complexity and resisting brute force attacks. A random password with only 7 characters can be cracked within a minute, while a password with 10 characters will take longer.
- Incorporating a variety of characters in a password can make brute force password guessing more difficult for hackers, as they would need to try various options for each character. Including special characters and numbers also adds to the complexity of the password and makes it harder to crack.
- To prevent credential stuffing attacks, it is recommended to use unique, long, and random passwords for all online accounts, as hackers can use stolen passwords from one account to gain access to other accounts.
What to avoid for a strong password?
Cybercriminals or hackers are familiar with the various tricks and patterns that users frequently use when creating passwords. As a result, there are several common mistakes that users should avoid when selecting their passwords. These include using easily guessed or common words, using personal information that can be easily obtained or guessed, repeating passwords across multiple accounts, and failing to regularly update or change passwords. By avoiding these mistakes and adopting best practices for password creation and management, users can help to reduce their risk of falling victim to cyber attacks.
Dictionary word: With a dictionary attack, cybercriminals can quickly test every word in a given dictionary in a matter of seconds. This approach involves running automated scripts or programs that systematically try every word in the dictionary, as well as common variations of those words, as potential passwords in an attempt to gain unauthorized access to a system or account.
Personal information: Dictionary words often include common personal information such as birthplaces, names of relatives or pets, birthdates, and favorite names. However, even if this information is not readily available, cybercriminals can still leverage a range of tools and techniques to collect data from social media and other sources, building a wordlist that can be used for more targeted dictionary attacks. By relying on automated tools and techniques, cybercriminals can significantly increase their chances of successfully cracking passwords and gaining unauthorized access to systems or accounts.
Patterns: Cybercriminals commonly use a list of easily guessable or commonly used passwords such as “asdfgh,” “qwerty,” “12345678,” “111111,” and others. These passwords are often included in password cracking programs and lists, allowing cybercriminals to quickly test large numbers of potential passwords in an attempt to gain unauthorized access to systems or accounts. By avoiding these commonly used passwords and instead using stronger, more complex passwords, users can help to reduce their risk of falling victim to such attacks.
Character Substitution: Character substitutions such as using “$” for “S” and “4” for “A” are common and well-known techniques that cybercriminals use to create variations of common passwords. These substitutions are often automatically tested by dictionary attacks, which systematically try every word in the dictionary along with common variations and substitutions in an attempt to guess a user’s password. To create stronger passwords, users should avoid these common substitutions and instead use a mix of upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters to increase the complexity and unpredictability of their passwords.
Number and special character: Many people have a common pattern of adding a special character and number at the end of their password to make it more complex. However, this pattern is well-known and often used by password cracker developers to systematically test potential passwords. To create stronger and more secure passwords, users should avoid predictable patterns and instead use a random mix of characters, numbers, and symbols throughout the password. This can make it much more difficult for cybercriminals to guess or crack the password.
Common passwords: Companies like Splashdata annually release a list of the most commonly used passwords, which they compile by cracking breached passwords. Users should avoid using these passwords when creating their own passwords to avoid being easily hacked. Instead, they should use strong and unique passwords that are difficult to guess or crack, preferably a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols.
Random password: To ensure the security of your online accounts, it is recommended to create unique, random, and lengthy passwords. To securely store and manage these passwords, a password manager can be used. This helps to avoid using the same password for multiple accounts, which can be vulnerable to cyber attacks.