How To Devise Passwords That Drive Hackers Away
Not long after I began writing nearly cybersecurity, I became a paranoid extravaganza of my former self. It's hard to maintain peace of mind when hackers remind me every day, all day, merely how easy it is to steal my personal data.
Within weeks, I set up unique, complex passwords for every Web site, enabled ii-step authentication for my e-postal service accounts, and even covered upwards my figurer's Web camera with a slice of masking tape — a precaution that invited ridicule from friends and co-workers who suggested information technology was time to get my head checked.
But recent episodes offered vindication. I removed the webcam record — afterwards a friend convinced me that it was a footling much — just to see its light turn green a few days later, suggesting someone was in my computer and watching. More than recently, I received a text message from Google with the two-step verification code for my Gmail account. That'south the string of numbers Google sends after you correctly enter the password to your Gmail account, and it serves as a 2d countersign. (Do sign upwards for information technology.) The only problem was that I was not trying to get into my Gmail business relationship. I was nowhere almost a computer. Apparently, somebody else was.
It is absurdly easy to get hacked. All it takes is clicking on ane malicious link or zipper. Companies' computer systems are attacked every twenty-four hours by hackers looking for passwords to sell on auctionlike blackness market place sites where a unmarried password can fetch $20. Hackers regularly exploit tools like John the Ripper, a complimentary password-peachy program that apply lists of ordinarily used passwords from breached sites and can exam millions of passwords per second.
Chances are, most people volition get hacked at some betoken in their lifetime. The all-time they tin exercise is filibuster the inevitable by avoiding suspicious links, even from friends, and manage their passwords. Unfortunately, good password hygiene is like flossing — you know it's important, but information technology takes try. How practise you perchance come upwardly with different, hard-to-crack passwords for every single news, social network, east-commerce, cyberbanking, corporate and e-postal service account and still call back them all?
To reply that question, I called two of the nigh (justifiably) paranoid people I know, Jeremiah Grossman and Paul Kocher, to detect out how they continue their data safe. Mr. Grossman was the first hacker to demonstrate how easily somebody can break into a computer's webcam and microphone through a Web browser. He is now principal technology officer at WhiteHat Security, an Internet and network security house, where he is oft targeted by cybercriminals. Mr. Kocher, a well-known cryptographer, gained notice for clever hacks on security systems. He at present runs Cryptography Inquiry, a security house that specializes in keeping systems hacker-resistant. Here were their tips:
FORGET THE DICTIONARY If your password can be found in a lexicon, you might too non have ane. "The worst passwords are lexicon words or a pocket-size number of insertions or changes to words that are in the dictionary," said Mr. Kocher. Hackers volition often test passwords from a dictionary or aggregated from breaches. If your password is not in that set, hackers will typically move on.
NEVER Utilize THE Same PASSWORD TWICE People tend to use the same countersign across multiple sites, a fact hackers regularly exploit. While cracking into someone's professional person contour on LinkedIn might non have dire consequences, hackers will utilize that password to crack into, say, someone's e-mail, bank, or brokerage business relationship where more valuable fiscal and personal data is stored.
Come WITH A PASSPHRASE The longer your password, the longer it will take to fissure. A countersign should ideally exist 14 characters or more in length if you want to brand information technology uncrackable by an attacker in less than 24 hours. Because longer passwords tend to exist harder to think, consider a passphrase, such every bit a favorite pic quote, song lyric, or poem, and string together only the offset one or two messages of each discussion in the sentence.
OR Simply JAM ON YOUR KEYBOARD For sensitive accounts, Mr. Grossman says that instead of a passphrase, he will randomly jam on his keyboard, intermittently striking the Shift and Alt keys, and re-create the result into a text file which he stores on an encrypted, countersign-protected USB bulldoze. "That way, if someone puts a gun to my head and demands to know my password, I can honestly say I don't know it."
STORE YOUR PASSWORDS Deeply Do non store your passwords in your in-box or on your desktop. If malware infects your computer, you lot're toast. Mr. Grossman stores his password file on an encrypted USB drive for which he has a long, circuitous countersign that he has memorized. He copies and pastes those passwords into accounts and so that, in the event an attacker installs keystroke logging software on his computer, they cannot record the keystrokes to his password. Mr. Kocher takes a more old-fashioned arroyo: He keeps password hints, not the actual passwords, on a scrap of paper in his wallet. "I try to continue my most sensitive information off the Internet completely," Mr. Kocher said.
A PASSWORD Manager? Possibly Countersign-protection software lets you store all your usernames and passwords in one identify. Some programs will fifty-fifty create strong passwords for you lot and automatically log you in to sites as long as you lot provide 1 master password. LastPass, SplashData and AgileBits offer password direction software for Windows, Macs and mobile devices. Just consider yourself warned: Mr. Kocher said he did not use the software because fifty-fifty with encryption, it yet lived on the computer itself. "If someone steals my estimator, I've lost my passwords." Mr. Grossman said he did not trust the software considering he didn't write it. Indeed, at a security briefing in Amsterdam earlier this year, hackers demonstrated how easily the cryptography used by many popular mobile password managers could exist cracked.
IGNORE SECURITY QUESTIONS At that place is a limited set of answers to questions like "What is your favorite color?" and nigh answers to questions like "What middle schoolhouse did yous attend?" can be found on the Internet. Hackers utilize that information to reset your password and take control of your account. Before this year, a hacker claimed he was able to cleft into Paw Romney'southward Hotmail and Dropbox accounts using the proper name of his favorite pet. A better approach would be to enter a password hint that has nothing to exercise with the question itself. For case, if the security question asks for the proper noun of the hospital in which you were born, your answer might exist: "Your favorite vocal lyric."
Use Dissimilar BROWSERS Mr. Grossman makes a point of using different Spider web browsers for different activities. "Pick one browser for 'promiscuous' browsing: online forums, news sites, blogs — anything yous don't consider important," he said. "When you're online banking or checking e-mail, fire up a secondary Web browser, and so shut information technology down." That style, if your browser catches an infection when you lot accidentally stumble on an X-rated site, your bank account is non necessarily compromised. As for which browser to use for which activities, a study terminal year by Accuvant Labs of Spider web browsers — including Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome and Microsoft Net Explorer — establish that Chrome was the least susceptible to attacks.
SHARE Charily "You are your electronic mail address and your countersign," Mr. Kocher emphasized. Whenever possible, he will not annals for online accounts using his real e-mail address. Instead he will use "throwaway" electronic mail addresses, like those offered past 10minutemail.com. Users annals and confirm an online account, which self-destructs 10 minutes afterward. Mr. Grossman said he frequently warned people to treat annihilation they typed or shared online as public record.
"At some point, y'all will get hacked — it'south only a matter of time," warned Mr. Grossman. "If that's unacceptable to yous, don't put information technology online."
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/devise-passwords-drive-hackers-away-232135515.html
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Re: How To Devise Passwords That Bulldoze Hackers Away by Chikebrain: vi:17am On Nov 12, 2012Mods Please take this to front page. Squeamish one OP. Early this twelvemonth my yahoomail was hacked through Linkedin and was used to ship mails to all my contacts unknowing to the hacker i had serial of wrong mail service contacts, so anytime my account was used to send mails i get Mailer demon mails when i didnt send any mails. I quickly went online and discovered hackers had taken command of my yahoo merely i was able recover information technology. Delight to everyone, i'll advise we dont use "Remember Countersign" on our browsers and get an Cyberspace Security not just an antivirus (I'll recommend Norton 360). Its more preferable and safe to accept all your passwords in your head (Thats if your brains can take information technology). Note that the safest system is an offline arrangement, merely what can we practise, we need to exist online.
Thanks Op.
ane Like
Re: How To Devise Passwords That Drive Hackers Abroad by tunapawizzy: 1:15pm On Nov sixteen, 2012NICE ONE
Re: How To Devise Passwords That Drive Hackers Abroad past dilbert100: 1:15pm On November 16, 2012squeamish mail....demand more of these
Nice one bro i practice similar the correct up
secrete to creating a tough password
number - special character - word/name/collection of alphabets - end the final 2/3 letters with caps - special character - number
in this way, it will have a figurer months to crack your password and it is easy to remember
example
15@yaHOO*30
2 Likes
Re: How To Devise Passwords That Bulldoze Hackers Away by slimming: 1:18pm On Nov 16, 2012Cheers then much for this.
Re: How To Devise Passwords That Drive Hackers Abroad past Paentera(1000): 1:19pm On Nov xvi, 2012First-class mail.
Re: How To Devise Passwords That Bulldoze Hackers Away by dabrake(m): 1:19pm On Nov 16, 2012Sometime in my 200L-one, i offered a grade(FORTRAN77) and nosotros were given an assignment to write a CGPA plan that will output all educatee'southward proper name, matric. nø and CGPA. I chose the (a35, a13, f4.two) as the format and I later stucked to it. I'm using a dissimilar one now though.
Re: How To Devise Passwords That Drive Hackers Away by gbigbega: i:32pm On Nov xvi, 2012Another way to take a secure password is to make a long statement your countersign. Even though it'due south an English language word, equally long equally its long ( say 24 character). It will take a hacking software years of abiding attempt to exist able to get whatever shut. An example is "NairalandForumNewPostPage" or "ThisIsHowIGetIntoMyComputer". Trust me no hacker tin can hack that.
Re: How To Devise Passwords That Drive Hackers Abroad by ochukoccna: ane:38pm On Nov 16, 2012Neat educative mail
Saw it iii/4 days back on yahoo
Glad someone who wasn't lazy like me shared it
But most NLer'due south wont read information technology
1 Like
Re: How To Devise Passwords That Drive Hackers Abroad by Nobody: 1:42pm On Nov 16, 2012dabrake: Sometime in my 200L-ane, i offered a course(FORTRAN77) and we were given an consignment to write a CGPA programme that will output all student'due south name, matric. nø and CGPA. I chose the (a35, a13, f4.ii) every bit the format and I subsequently stucked to it. I'g using a different 1 now though.
So??
Hmmm
Re: How To Devise Passwords That Bulldoze Hackers Away by oyestephen(m): 1:50pm On Nov sixteen, 2012ochukoccna: Great educative post
Saw it three/4 days back on yahoo
Glad someone who wasn't lazy like me shared it
But most NLer's wont read it![]()
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gbigbega: Another manner to have a secure password is to make a long argument your password. Even though it's an English discussion, as long as its long ( say 24 character). It will take a hacking software years of constant effort to be able to get any close. An case is "NairalandForumNewPostPage" or "ThisIsHowIGetIntoMyComputer". Trust me no hacker can hack that.
Trust me you don't even need to be a hacker to hack that countersign.
Why not just save yourself the stress of typing the long password and utilize 'Abc'?
another way is to write your passwords in your local dialect similar Igbo or Yoruba. Since great a password is a trial and error procedure, and since most hackers are foreigners, they rarely come up across those local words.
All my countersign are some long Igbo sentences complete with "udaume" symbols and finished off with random numbers. Fissure that.
4 Likes
Re: How To Devise Passwords That Drive Hackers Away by Wallie(thou): 1:59pm On Nov 16, 2012The problem with using password generators is that you volition nigh always take to look it upward!
Hither's how I create my passwords...
i. wHATtheH311iswrongwithyou?
two. Pleased0ntTalkt0mE!
3. Wh3ythingd3yhaPPEN?
4. 1KNOWSAYy0udeyCRAZ3!
The trick is to choose a phrase y'all will remember, then think which letters are capitalized and which alphabets are replaced with numbers.
All dis thing na story,there are some bad softwares wey go hack anything,if you similar no use space brand u employ wat ever...lol..Try my Due east Surveillance and see if y'all are protected
Nice post but the cocky-acclaimed computer security personnel is probably out of tune with computer security.
Hacker'south don't use stale stuffs like "John the ripper" as he mentioned, considering majority/all email providers don't allow users setup business relationship with dictionary words. Major web service providers demand potent "Alpanumeric" ( combination of alpabets and number ) passwords when signing up for their service.
Hacking has gone across cracking. At that place is no system in this world that is 80% safe and hack-proof. It's but a matter of finding loose ends and has nothing to do with the length or forcefulness of your password. A simple browser plugin or FUD (fully undetectable trojan) is all a hacker needs to take access to your-so-called stiff countersign.
This is the reason why Kaspersky internet security remains the best bet to staying safe online. Forget what the media or PR guys say virtually Norton, Mcafee and the residuum.
With the latest version Norton installed on your computer. It might take someone like me less than 10 minutes to create a fully undetectable trojan than will infect your calculator, attach itself to near 5 processes. And steal every unmarried information on your pc and that which u pass through a browser without your AV (anti virus) detecting it. If y'all doubtfulness. Msg me and let me prove it.
A hacker does not necessarily need your countersign to access your oinline accounts. Stealing your browser cookies for an authenticated session is more than than enough.
The bottomline is: as long equally your computer is non fully protected from possible trojans and malwares, choosing the strongest combination of alphanumeric and symbols tin can't protect you.
Kaspersky net security is every hacker's nightmare. Because the guys backside information technology are one of the finest creators of Russian botnets.
two Likes
Re: How To Devise Passwords That Bulldoze Hackers Abroad by masterpiecer(one thousand): 2:12pm On November 16, 2012Good the info came from a hacker, very useful
Re: How To Devise Passwords That Drive Hackers Away by a1solution: ii:21pm On Nov 16, 2012the best thing is to assume you are in public always and go along sensitive data's on your notation book offline.
Re: How To Devise Passwords That Drive Hackers Away past Nobody: two:25pm On November xvi, 20121NaIra+3nAiRA=NaiRameRin try this
Re: How To Devise Passwords That Bulldoze Hackers Away by Mucokey(chiliad): two:33pm On Nov 16, 2012Overnice post ...buh dis got me LOLing
"That fashion, if
someone puts a gun to my head and demands to know my
password, I can honestly say I
don't know it."
good on there.
Re: How To Devise Passwords That Bulldoze Hackers Away past lond07: 2:48pm On November sixteen, 2012usbcable:
"At some point, you will get hacked — it's only a affair of time," warned Mr. Grossman. "If that'south unacceptable to y'all, don't put it online."
Nice i.
More informed than ever at present. Hopefully I can delay the time till later my last breathe
STORY
Hackers ar BAD GUYS.av had ii change my facebook password more than v times...Nau i jst joined them.
Proficient info, thank you
Re: How To Devise Passwords That Drive Hackers Away by kokoye(g): 4:48pm On Nov 16, 2012My passwords include ekiti,urhobo and fulani words...plus tribal marks.
Come try fissure am now..
Source: https://www.nairaland.com/1099939/how-devise-passwords-drive-hackers
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