Passwords are dead – it’s time for the Passphrase

What is a Password?

A password is a sequence of characters, usually consisting of a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols. It is used as a form of authentication to protect access to a system or account. The idea is that only the person who knows the password can gain access to the account.

Passwords have been the go-to method for securing accounts for many years. However, they are not without their flaws. For one, passwords can be easy to guess or crack, especially if they are short or use predictable patterns. Additionally, people tend to reuse the same password for multiple accounts, which means that if one password is compromised, all of the associated accounts become vulnerable.

Are Passwords still fit for purpose?

Passwords are no longer fit for purpose because they lack the strength required to withstand modern cyber threats. Most people use weak passwords that are easy to remember but also easy to guess. According to the National Cyber Security Centre, the most commonly used passwords are “123456“, “password“, “qwerty“, and “123456789“. These passwords are so simple that hackers can easily crack them using automated tools. In fact, according to the Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report, compromised passwords are responsible for 81% of all data breaches.

Another problem with passwords is that they can be reused across multiple accounts. This means that if a hacker manages to steal one password, they can potentially gain access to many different accounts, including those containing sensitive information such as financial data or personal details.

Furthermore, passwords can be compromised in a number of ways. For example, they can be intercepted by keyloggers or other malware, or they can be stolen through phishing attacks. Even if a user creates a strong and unique password, it can still be vulnerable to these types of attacks.

It’s clear that passwords are no longer an effective means of protecting our online identities. It’s time to embrace a new approach – the passphrase.

What is a Passphrase?

A passphrase is a sequence of words or phrases that are used as a form of authentication to secure accounts. Unlike passwords, passphrases are longer and more complex, making them much more difficult to guess or crack.

A passphrase can consist of any combination of words, such as “correcthorsebatterystaple” or “iloveicecreamandchocolate“. The key is to choose words that are easy to remember but difficult to guess, and to string them together in a way that creates a unique and memorable phrase.

Why Passphrases are more secure than Passwords

Passphrases are more secure than passwords for several reasons. Firstly, as we mentioned earlier, passphrases are longer and more complex than passwords, making them much harder to guess or crack. This means that even if a hacker uses advanced tools to try and crack the passphrase, it would take much longer to do so than with a traditional password.

Secondly, passphrases are less susceptible to brute-force attacks. A brute-force attack is a method of cracking a password by trying every possible combination of characters until the correct one is found. However, because passphrases are much longer than passwords, the number of possible combinations is much greater, making it virtually impossible to crack using this method.

Thirdly, passphrases are resistant to dictionary attacks, which as we mentioned earlier, are attacks where hackers use pre-built lists of common words and phrases to try and guess a user’s password. Because passphrases are made up of random words and phrases, they are much harder to guess using this method.

Finally, passphrases are unique to each user, making them much harder to steal or compromise. Even if a hacker manages to steal one passphrase, it cannot be used to access other accounts as the user will have used a different passphrase for each account.

Conclusion

Passwords are no longer sufficient to protect our online identities. Hackers are becoming more sophisticated, and data breaches are becoming more frequent. As a result, it’s time to embrace a new approach to authentication – the passphrase.

Passphrases offer a number of advantages over traditional passwords. They are longer and more complex, making them much harder to guess or crack. They are also easier to remember, making it less likely that users will write them down or reuse them across multiple accounts.

By using a passphrase, users can significantly improve the security of their online accounts and reduce the risk of a data breach. So, if you haven’t already, it’s time to say goodbye to passwords and hello to the passphrase.

In conclusion, passphrases are the way forward for secure online authentication. By using a unique and memorable combination of words or phrases, users can create a strong and secure passphrase that is virtually impossible to crack. So, the next time you need to create a new password, consider using a passphrase instead.

 

Emerge Digital is a CybSafe Partner and can provide you access with this market-leading solution cyber security awareness training solution, which includes passphrase training. To find out more about CybSafe, and to get a demo of it in action, get in touch today.