How safe is your password then?

Napoleon Plural

A site has you key in your password and lets you know how long it would take a PC to figure it out and scam it.

http://www.howsecureismypassword.net/

That said, might be a good idea to try this on a different computer methinks! It's a bit shocking, unless you have a number in it somewhere it doesn't take long at all.

Oh, I got this from The Independent, a UK newspaper.

jimmybondi

It would take

About 82 novemdecillion years )

Hardyboy

Hmmmm. . .a site in which you input your password. How do we know THIS isn't a scam to GET your password?

Mr Martini

I did variations of the passwords I use and it looks like it would take 16 years to figure out. I think I'm good.

Just had some fun with this. Took my street address, mixed the number in with the street name and my area's zip code and came up with the ultimate password. It would take 36 billion years to figure out. The key is for it to be long and alternate numbers with letters.

toutbrun

What I would really like to know is how safe is using Wifi... I'm always scared when I enter my email address and password on Wifi..

DaltonFan1

How exactly does someone figure out your password? Do they make guesses based on your e-mail address? Or based on what they know about you(assuming they actually know you)?

Napoleon Plural

They don't, as I understand it. It is done by a computer working through a program. Otherwise, someone might do it if it is based on your mother's maiden name, or your date of birth, etc

ke02eww

The newest and most effective method is to set up a website and ask unsuspecting folk to type their passwords into it to find out how safe they are ....

It doesn't take that long at all... 8-)

Lexi

DaltonFan1 wrote:

How exactly does someone figure out your password? Do they make guesses based on your e-mail address? Or based on what they know about you(assuming they actually know you)?

I think they have an aralgothym that can work out words based on the English language (prob for other languages too).... and work it out from there.
That is why the safest passwords are letters and numbers combined, which don't make an actual word.

For instance.... Tiger20 - is probably not a good password, as Tiger is a common word used in the English language.

Whereas a password like Tq2w44Rsv is much harder to crack, as it makes NO sense at all. If you can use mixed cases, (most passwords are now case sensitive) it makes it even safer.

I work for a computer wiz, hence why I know this stuff - a cool programme to have if you need a password generator, and keeper - is Roboform.
100% safe, and most large companies use it. It's brilliant.

Napoleon Plural

ke02eww wrote:

The newest and most effective method is to set up a website and ask unsuspecting folk to type their passwords into it to find out how safe they are ....

It doesn't take that long at all... 8-)

Fair point, although it is suggested from The Indepedent... so should be safe. That said, you can get an idea of how safe your password is by typing in a similiar sort of name or number. It is quite surprising.

pyrat

Here's another source for password information that might be of assistance.

http://www.healthypasswords.com/

Thunderpussy

My password, "super-big-lovemachine2020" is completley safe, I defy anyone to break it. :v

Sir Miles

Thunderpussy wrote:

My password, "super-big-lovemachine2020" is completley safe, I defy anyone to break it. :v

Well...if you carry on doing what you're doing...you will break it all by yourself )

Jedi Master

It says my ordinary password (the one I use for email and AJB) would be hacked "almost instantly", but the password I use for sites which save my card details would take 3 hours and my banking password would take 10 whole days! That's good isn't it?!

Jedi Master

Although apparently the password "I Love Mozart" would take 147 MILLION years!!!