Password “Crackability”

You know that you should be using unique passwords, and often hear us and other tech professionals advocate for longer and more complex passwords. The cybersecurity company Hive Systems has released their annual report on how quickly a modern computer (and a high-end AI platform) can crack a password. Their analysis assumes that an encrypted database of passwords has been stolen and a malicious actor is attempting to brute force the true passwords through sheer computing power. This is no theoretical scenario – some researchers presume that this is what happened with the LastPass breach in 2022. Their blog post linked above walks you through their assumptions and findings, and is a fascinating read for anyone with an interest in computers or math. One of the main takeaways is that if you aren’t using unique, random, and complex passwords then you are making it immensely easier for a hacker to unmask your password in the event of a data breach.