A recent study by cybersecurity company Kaspersky has revealed alarming findings about how easily scammers can guess passwords. The study found that nearly 45% of passwords can be cracked in less than a minute, indicating that almost half of people’s passwords are quickly guessable by cybercriminals.
Researchers analyzed a massive database of 193 million English passwords and discovered that 87 million could be broken very quickly. In contrast, only 23% of the passwords would take over a year to crack, indicating higher security levels.
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Kaspersky strongly recommends using unique passwords for each online service and advises against reusing the same password across different accounts. They also advise against using easily guessable information like birthdays, names, or common words. Instead, creating complex passwords with a mix of letters, numbers, and special characters can significantly improve security.
The study also highlighted the prevalence of password-stealing attempts, with Kaspersky detecting 32 million such attempts in 2023 alone. This underscores the importance of maintaining strong digital hygiene, including regularly updating passwords and being cautious about where and how they are used.
Another critical finding from the study is that 57% of passwords contain dictionary words. Using dictionary words makes passwords much easier to guess and therefore less secure. This practice significantly weakens the overall security of passwords.
Kaspersky’s research emphasizes the urgent need for better password practices. With cyber threats continually evolving, individuals must take proactive steps to protect their digital information. Simple measures like creating strong, unique passwords and regularly changing them can go a long way in safeguarding personal data from cybercriminals.
