Throughout 2019, and what we have been in 2020, we are
seeing how hackers are taking over large databases of passwords for websites
and online platforms, databases that they are putting up for sale and that are
putting the safety of all Internet users at risk. Most of these data thefts are
due either to misconfiguration of the server, or because companies, such as
Facebook, are negligently storing passwords in plain text.
Of course, the most insecure and least recommended way to
save passwords is to do it in plain text, something that should not cross our
minds but that many websites still do today. In plain text, the password is
saved as is in the database, for example, if the password is "Password",
it is saved as "Password" on the server, therefore, anyone who has
access to it, already whether internal or external, it can be done with it.
Does
encryption strengthen the security of passwords?
At first, the encryption prevents passwords from being read
as is, although the truth is that they do not offer maximum security either. An
encryption key is used to encrypt a password that, although initially
protected, if the hacker guesses it or steals it from elsewhere, it will not do
any good.
Encryption is one step ahead when it comes to password
security, although it is insufficient.
The hash is an irreversible cipher
When a server uses hash to store passwords, it means that
it is using a one-way encryption type, that is, irreversible. When the user
enters the password for the first time, it is encrypted with an algorithm that
does not allow going back and is stored in the database safely.
At the time of logging in, the user enters the password on
the web page, this is encrypted again and compared if the hash matches. If so,
access is allowed, if it does not match, it is rejected.
If a hacker accesses a website's database, he can steal
passwords in hashed format, seeing only a series of nonsensical letters and
numbers that, in addition, cannot be deciphered, in theory. If we have used a
weak password, by brute force it could be deduced, but if it was robust then
there is nothing to worry about.
Improved hashing techniques for password security
Assuming that the hash is more secure than plain text or
encrypted passwords, there are also other techniques by which it is possible to
save these keys even more securely. One of these techniques is, for example,
adding a small plain text at the beginning of the already hashed key that makes
brute force attacks much more difficult.
Another technique in double hashing passwords that,
although it increases security, loses a lot of performance in the process.
Finally, techniques that mix several of the above are also often used, all in
order to prevent hackers from endangering users' passwords.
What
can we do to reinforce the security of our access codes?
Saving them safely is the responsibility of the administrators
of the website or platform where we register. Unfortunately, we cannot do much
to improve security if the web, for example, saves them in plain text.
The only thing that depends on us is to use a secure and
robust password (to prevent that through a brute force attack our password can
be recovered), in addition to making sure we use unique and different passwords
so that, if the key of a site is stolen web, others remain protected.
PASSWORD
RECOVERY
As it is said to use unique passwords that use Capital
alphabets, small alphabets, numbers, and special character.
So using all these unique passwords sometimes we tend to
forget the passwords and not able to recover it. So, to recover the passwords we
used on websites, software, and apps we can use password recovery software
which helps in password recovery on many software and we can even recover
password of Internet
explorer or MS
Access, MS
Outlook, Outlook
Express etc.
Using this software is really easy and it gives quick results
too and you don’t have need any professional in password recovery it can be
done by any layman.
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