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FILLING THE GAPS: KEEPING HACKERS AWAY FROM YOUR PASSWORDS

Passwords have been around for quite some time now, and they don’t seem to be going anywhere anytime soon. Not even the fact that a major breach seems to be happening every month could force them out of use.
If that is true, then it might be time to look at the password game closely so that we, as users, don’t fall victim to the many whims of hackers.
Before we go into all that, though…
 
Understanding Passwords

Passwords have been around almost as long as the internet has existed, if not before. They have provided the basic form of security into things as simple as smartwatches and have gone on to secure complex organization’s files and data. For all the advancement that has happened in technology, they have remained the same.
Of course, an argument can be made for the fact that the world is now seeing biometric forms of security. For that, there are no shortages of voice unlocking models, facial unlock systems, iris scanning technology and fingerprint sensors, to mention but a few.
Quite frankly, these have helped contribute to the personalization of data and security, but there is one thing that many people overlook: these biometrics are still set up on password technology.
More often than not, a system would still require the setting up of a password in the case those biometrics failed. After all, a facial unlock system might not be able to accurately recognize the user after a surgery or accident in the same way the voice match model won’t work if the user were to, say, lose their voice.
Seeing as important as passwords are, it is almost laughable to see how people treat their passwords these days. 
The rate of technology advancement means hackers now have better tools at their disposal to initiate their hacks. The unfortunate thing is, these hackers might not even have needed to get advanced hacking techniques, looking at how poor password habits reign today.
Speaking of the hackers, have you been wondering how they get access to millions and billions of passwords they compromise in breaches? Worry no more.
 
Understanding the Hacks

There are various forms of hacks out there – and they will be dependent on a variety of factors.
For one, a hacker cannot approach passwords stored as plain text and one encrypted in hashes the same way. Likewise, hackers will have to identify what password models are being used to decide on which form of hack to carry out. Finally, the sophistication of, and resources available to, a hacker will tell their modus operandi.
Looking across that broad spectrum, below are some of the common hacking techniques out there:

Dictionary attack – As the name implies, the hacking machine is fed with a dictionary file so it stores all the possible words which could be used in a password in memory. The algorithm then starts trying all the different words in the dictionary in multiple lengths and types until it comes up with the passphrase behind an account. In the case that a user has employed word substitutions in their passwords, such that they have symbols and numbers in what would have been a normal dictionary word (such as p@ssword), a hybrid attack will be used.

Brute force attack – Brute force takes into consideration all possible numbers, symbols, letters and characters that could be used in a password at all. Like the dictionary attack above, it then starts running all combinations of till it gets the user’s password at the end of the day. Unlike the dictionary attack, brute force attacks are more sophisticated and resource-intensive, and there is a high chance they will get the job done.

Malware attack – Used when a hacker gets access to your computer via malicious codes inputted into apps and programs you have downloaded. These apps and programs are usually those obtained from sideloading the device from external sources. With the malware, the hacker can either take over your computer (ransomware), record your keystrokes to determine your password (keylogger), delete or manipulate your files (virus) or just create a backdoor to steal other forms of sensitive data.

Protecting Yourself
Those are just some of the many forms of password attacks out there. No matter what form they come in, though, the onus lies on you to stay protected. If you have not started embracing the good password culture, now is the time to start.
You can do so by:

Generating strong passwords online instead of trusting yourself to do so
Using unique passwords for each account
Storing your passwords with a password manager so you don’t lose track of them
Enable two-factor authentication on your accounts for improved security
Never share your passwords with anyone
Don’t click on links in messages, emails and other forms of text
Desist from sideloading apps onto your units. Download from the official app store instead
Stay away from unencrypted networks (like public Wi-Fi). If you must use them, download a VPN and layer your connection over it.

 


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