How Secure is Your Password?

Your Password May Be Cracked Instantly

Millions of accounts are subjected to cyber attacks every day. But the vast majority of us still use weak passwords: birth dates, simple words, or just combinations of numbers. So how long does it take to crack these passwords?

Cyber ​​security company Hive Systems answered this question with comprehensive data in 2023. They calculated the time it takes to crack passwords of different complexity using the brute-force method of a current computer. The results are both surprising and extremely instructive.

What is a Brute-Force Attack?

Brute-force attack is a method of trying all possible combinations one by one to find a password. Since modern computers can test billions of combinations per second, short and simple passwords can be cracked almost instantly.

Five different password types were examined in this research:

1.     Numbers only (123) — weakest

2.    Lowercase letters only (abc) — weak

3.    Uppercase and lowercase letters (AaBb) — middle

4.    Numbers + uppercase/lowercase letters (1aA2) — strong

5.    Numbers + letters + symbols (1aA2!@#) — strongest

Data: Breaking Times Table

The table below shows the breaking times for passwords between 4 and 18 characters at five different complexity levels. Red cells represent low security, green cells represent high security5 Critical Findings from the Data

1. Almost every password up to 11 characters is at risk

Passwords of 11 characters and below can be cracked within hours or months, even if they contain symbols. An 11-character password consisting only of numbers is cracked "instantly". This means that the password lengths many users still use are in the critical danger zone.

2. Adding symbols increases the time dramatically

For a password of the same length, the comparison is striking: a 12-character password containing only numbers can be cracked in 1 second, while a 12-character password containing numbers + letters + symbols lasts 15,000 years. Adding symbols can increase security tens of thousands of times.

3. 14+ characters is where real security begins

Hive Systems' advice is clear: use at least 14+ characters for good security. The cracking time of a 14-character password containing numbers+letters+symbols reaches 77 million years. In practice, this means it is impossible to break.

4. The result does not change for those who use only numbers

For those who use only numbers up to 18 characters, the longest period is 6 days. In other words, no matter how long they are, passwords consisting only of numbers can never provide sufficient security. PIN codes and passwords consisting only of numbers carry serious risks.

5. Complexity can be more decisive than length

While an 8-character password containing symbols lasts 6 hours, a 9-character password consisting of only lowercase letters can be cracked in just 1 minute. This shows that complexity may be more critical than length — combining the two provides the strongest defense.

What Should You Do? 5 Practical Tips

• Use at least 14 characters

This is the clearest advice from the research. 14 characters and above become practically impossible to crack with the right combination.

• Make sure to add symbols

Symbols such as!, @, #, $, % increase the resistance of your password tens of thousands of times. This little touch makes a big difference.

• Mix uppercase and lowercase letters

Using only lowercase letters seriously reduces security. Mixing letters multiplies the number of possible combinations.

• Randomly distribute numbers

Place numbers in the middle of your password or in unexpected places instead of birth dates or sequential numbers (1234).

• Use a password manager

It is impossible to remember such complex passwords. Tools like LastPass, Bitwarden or 1Password can create and store strong and unique passwords.

Conclusion

While cybersecurity may seem like a complex topic, password security is based on a simple formula: length + complexity = security. The data unequivocally reveals this.

"Who would hack my account anyway?" The idea is no longer valid. Automatic attack bots work randomly, not according to the target, and find weak passwords in seconds. Making even the slightest effort to strengthen your password exponentially increases your account security.

One step you take today — updating your password to 14+ characters and symbols — can protect you from potentially millions of cyber attacks.

Source and Reference

Hive Systems Password Table 2023 · hivesystems.io/password

This data is based on the assumption of a brute-force attack with an up-to-date GPU cluster. Actual break times may vary depending on hardware power and attack method.