Your Password Is Too Easy To Guess

     Everyone of us has a computer and have access to Internet connection. We also have email accounts, we are member of many social networking sites, forums and have stored our documents, videos, pics and many other stuff online. Every single website one visit, requires one to become a member of it and for that one need to register at their site with a PASSWORD.

     Using an Internet for so many years made me realized that how this Password really has become crucial now a days. Where almost all of my private, confidential and sensitive information is stored at various websites in the form of documents, social updates, pictures and one security breach can really put me in a disastrous situation.

     Making one's password a stronger one is not a big deal but to memorize it, is another problem. It’s wisely said that the most memorable passwords are the easiest to crack, while the most secure are a jumble of characters that are impossible to recall / remember. Many people uses same password for each and every website they visit, few people have 2 or 3 different passwords which they uses for most of their websites. But the question remains the same, how many passwords should I have it or which practice should I follow?

     We all know that in order to make a strong password, it should be big enough with mix characters. For example I checked a sample password strength online on a website

You can also do it here   https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/security/pc-security/password-checker.aspx  

This is the screen you will get

Check your password—is it strong?

Your online accounts, computer files, and personal information are more secure when you use strong passwords to help protect them.

Test the strength of your passwords: Type a password into the box.

Password:
Strength:	Not rated

Note This does not guarantee the security of the password. This is for your personal reference only.

What is a strong password?

The strength of a password depends on the different types of characters that you use, the overall length of the password, and whether the password can be found in a dictionary. It should be 8 or more characters long.

About this password checker

Microsoft does not retain information entered into this password checker. The password you enter is checked and validated on your computer. It is not sent over the Internet.

     It's really interesting to see how the simple change in characters makes your password more secure, but how many of us follow this rule?

Note: This is a very important article and I have tried my best to explain it in the most simplest way. 

     Anyone with a good computer speed and an Internet connection can hack your weak password in a matter of time with the help of a Brute Force Attacks. This is accomplished when a hacker uses a specially written piece of software to attempt to log into a site using your credentials like your name, pin code, bank account no, all the dictionary words etc. 

     Now you would be thinking that how the Hacker will get to know which websites I browse, which bank I use, what is my login ID for the sites which I frequently visits? This Information is stored nowhere else but in your Computer itself in the form of Internet Cookies, Temporary Internet Files / Cache which are stored in your computer. These junk files assists hackers to get the details about you. (Read this post to clear the junk files from your computer). 

     Is it really that easy to hack anyone's password? Well that depends on the length and complexity of your password. This is soooooooo Important that I don’t know how to emphasize on it. Most people just don't care about all of this until they become the target of the Hacker. 

Over Confident or Misconception or Carelessness

1. My password is the best one:
 What made you so sure about it, have you checked it online or have you really followed the guidelines (Most probably not)

2. Who cares about me and why any one will hack my information:
 Once you are online, you are on the Hit List. The hacker can be anyone may be your friend or any unknown person.

3. I don’t get or have any sensitive or confidential information stored online:
You simply don’t have any idea that what a hacker can do once your email account get compromised. He can go to your Bank website and tells them using your credentials that I've forgotten my account password and email it to me. Then what!!! (it’s only an example).
     The most common now a days is sending obscene pictures through the hacked account. Imagine what will happen to your image and relations with those who will recive those unwanted mails with your name on it.

10 Most Commonly STUPID Passwords:

     From different reports on Internet I came to know that below 10 are the most common passwords that people use for their online email accounts or for other online services. UNBELIEVABLE!!!!

1. 123456 

2. 12345 

3. 123456789 

4. Password 

5. iloveyou 

6. princess 

7. rockyou 

8. 1234567 

9. 12345678 

10. abc123 

Last Words

     This article is just a reminder to all of those people, who are not thinking about the security and taking the password management task too easy. Take my advice, list down all the username and passwords of the websites which you frequently visit and take a time to think about making it further stronger.
     In the next post, I may guide you step by step how you can really make a super strong password for each website and by following my steps you can easily remember all of your passwords as well. Believe me, it will make your life much easy and tension free.

Do you use same password for each website? Or You have 2 or 3 passwords which you use most commonly everywhere?
Don't forget to reply me with your comments / feedback.

Posted by Zaffar Iqbal Durrani