Privacy, Security & Virus Information

Your password is still your weakest link

Recent research carried out by internet security experts has revealed that the weakest link in the security chain required to keep cyber hackers at bay is the continued insistence by an uncomfortable large proportion of the global internet community to retain and use the same password across a wide range of applications. The reason given was that most surfers choose a password that they are most comfortable with and find easiest to remember. The "it can't happen to me" theory is very widespread among these blissfully unaware people and, sadly, it is only when the fall victim to some form of internet fraud do they realize the dangers of using the same password or even passwords across a broad spectrum of their login credentials.

The most "crack-able" password link online these days are e-mail access. With more and more surfers holding at least one e-mail account from the principal search engines, i.e. Yahoo, Google and Msn it is even understandable that they would want to keep a common password. However there is no doubt that this practice will considerably increase the chances of being hacked. And like a domino if one falls, they all will.

Even though e-mail passwords as well as those that afford entry to Facebook, Twitter up to and including the most sensitive areas of a computer owner's life, such as their bank accounts appear to be encrypted, even the least experienced hacker will be able to crack the code if given enough time. There are even suggestions that a list of hashed passwords is available for sale among the hacking community that will punish people who are unable to grasp the importance of regularly updating their passwords, and keeping a separate password for every application that they use. Each password doesn't have to be drastically different, just a subtle change of a capital letter here or there will be enough.

While the issue of password re-use might sound a little nit-picky to many, there is no doubt that it is relevant, and should be taken seriously.

Web surfers have to realise that while they have been granted a gateway to a fabulous world through the internet, there is a price to be paid. And that price means taking care of the back door and the way to do so is by installing the most up to date and powerful anti-virus software available online.

 

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