10 dangerous ways to store password
People often do not consider securing their passwords because of many reasons. These may be the lack of awareness, time constraints, and overconfidence in technology. Sometimes, creating and remembering complex passwords for multiple accounts is tedious. But giving some time for creating complex passwords may save you from losing data. But how to store password when they are complex and lengthy?
Similarly, people underestimate the risk of cybercrimes or they do not have any negative experience to feel the urgency of securing the passwords. According to the World Economic Forum, the worldwide cost of cybercrime is expected to increase to $23.84 trillion by 2027.
Here are 10 ways that are used to store passwords which can easily compromise the security.
1. Storing in Plain Text Files
Storing your passcodes and patterns in text files is similar to leaving your keys on the front door. It is convenient but offers no safety against unauthorized access. Moreover, users would be saving passwords in files with titles such as “passwords.docx” not knowing the risks it brings. But if you still want an easy way you should at least password protect your important files. You can read article for steps to enable password on your files.
Such files have an unencrypted format and are vulnerable to cyberattacks. If a hacker accesses a file, he will ultimately steal all the passwords with consequences of data breaches and financial losses.
2. Storing Weak Passwords
Hackers may use brute force attacks and easily guess simple passwords. Now you cannot just simply use password “12345” or “qwerty”. Give some time and choose strong passwords using password strength checker websites. Hackers can also use personal information like your date of birth, pet name, etc from social media to guess the password. And if the same simple is used across all accounts, there is nothing worse than this.
Simple passwords are like 12345, my kitty, or short terms are easier to remember. Once this password is cracked, a door to continuous security breaches is opened, leading to loss of privacy and harm.
3. Writing on Notepads
These notes are often left in visible places near monitors and on desks. These places are vulnerable to access and can be misplaced even without your knowledge.
People write down passwords to prevent locking out of certain accounts. Unauthorized access to these notes can compromise your sensitive accounts. These breaches are common in workplaces leading to penalties and damage.
4. Saving Passwords in Web Browsers
Any vulnerability in the web browser can be exploited against the user to get the password. Attackers can also use malicious software to get the saved passwords. In case, your browser is synced across multiple devices, all linked devices can be breached. Moreover, not using a secure master password can worsen the situation.
Users browse passwords in files that may not offer encryption. If somebody gets access, to your email, banking, and other critical accounts will be at risk.
5. Sharing Passwords via email
These communication channels, i.e., Email and SMS, are highly vulnerable. Many providers do not even provide end-to-end encryption. This means the message carrying your passwords can be intercepted in transit by the hackers. Even if the service offers encryption, the attack on the account can compromise the data.
Many people use email and text message services as the password stays in the inbox. As convenient as it seems, the risky it is. If the account storing the password is hacked, attackers have access to your email account, which would lead to identity theft and financial loss.
6. Storing Passwords in the Cloud
Password stored in the Cloud without any encryption is vulnerable to unauthorized access if the service is breached. Cloud providers are often secure but not impossible to be attacked or compromised. Moreover, if the account is breached through phishing and social engineering, hackers can easily retrieve passwords that are written in plain text.
The results can be severe such as privacy invasion, financial fraud, and identity theft.
7. Using Autofill without Master Password
The Autofill feature is dangerous as it lacks protection. Anyone can use the feature (without Master Password) to log in to your accounts if they have access to your device. Furthermore, the browsers are the common targets for attackers; having no master password means exploitation of vulnerabilities to give attackers full access.
Auto fills are convenient to enter saved passwords automatically. Using them without Master Password can lead to Account Compromise and loss of Financial and Personal data.
8. Relying on Cracked Encryption Methods
Depending on easily cracked methods such as MD5 can cause security risks. Initially, these methods were considered safe but have been proven vulnerable to collision attacks. These attacks produce the same output from different inputs, which allows hackers to reverse-build the encrypted passwords.
This method significantly reduces the time and effort for attackers to crack the data. Precomputed hash tables, also known as rainbow tables, can be used to decipher the passwords even without accessing the original encryption key. This could lead to damage to reputation, fines, and loss of trust by customers in businesses.
9. Using Public Network
Public WiFi is vulnerable to attackers as there is minimal authentication. They often lack robust safety features and expose the user to significant risks. If you are using an unsecured network, attackers could be positioned between you and the Internet, intercepting the data between the two. Moreover, there are chances of malicious software being injected.
Public Wifis are found in coffee shops, libraries, and airports which are convenient to access on the go. To mitigate the risks, use a VPN to encrypt your data.
10. Not Updating the Passwords
Over time, passwords could be exposed to several vulnerabilities. Failing to change passwords regularly thus can lead to data breaches through compromised databases. Once, it is stolen, your password can be used by criminals to access your account for illegal purposes where you could have to pay.
Changing passwords regularly feels tiresome to many people. However, it could lead to unauthorized access to financial records, personal information, and confidential data. Regular updating of passwords is a crucial step in mitigating the risks.
