How Long it Takes AI to Crack Passwords
The results of the analysis show that 81% of commonly used passwords can be cracked within a month, 71% within a day, 65% within an hour, and 51% within a minute. The length and complexity of passwords play a crucial role in their susceptibility to cracking. For instance, PassGAN took only six minutes to crack a seven-character password with uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. On the other hand, a 13-character password comprising solely of numbers could be cracked in just three minutes.
Recommendations for Stronger Passwords
The report recommends using strong passwords with at least 15 characters, a combination of letters (both uppercase and lowercase), numbers, and symbols. Additionally, passwords should be changed regularly and should not be repeated across multiple accounts. Password managers are a useful tool for generating and remembering complex passwords.
It’s worth noting that combining both length and complexity results in the most secure passwords. For instance, a nine-character password with all types of characters would take five years to crack, while an 18-character password with only numbers would take ten months to crack. Meanwhile, an 18-character password with all types of characters would take six quintillion years to crack.
