Whose side are you on?
Did you know that automated software, called “Cracker Software,” can throw an entire dictionary at a login prompt in less than twenty seconds? Because of that, we can’t use dictionary words if we want to use passwords less than 15 characters long.*
Meanwhile, studies prove that if you use a password that has six different factors, it takes that same cracker software days, sometimes weeks, to guess your password. Those six factors are as follows:
1) At least eight characters
2) Upper case text
3) Lower case text
4) Special Characters
5) Numbers
6) No Dictionary Words
The purpose of a strong password is to give the GOOD GUYS time to respond when BAD GUYS try guessing passwords.
So whose side are you on?
*Note: studies are showing that if your password is fifteen characters long (or more), it takes weeks for cracker software to guess them. This holds true no matter what other factors you use. So if you don’t like to use passwords like [email protected]$sw^rd% consider using pass phrases like “morethan14characters”.
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Intended Use:
The purpose of Vigilize is to respond to ISOs’ complaints that users never read ISO’s “ongoing security awareness training reminders.” Our tweets are designed to be copied into the subject line of your awareness reminder, with the language on these pages put into the body. The goal is that the user will have to read the subject line to know to delete the message, and if they understand the subject line the reminder is communicated. If not, they will go into the message and read the reminder.
Feel free to use Vigilize in your own Security Awareness Program. Let us know if you have any ideas, suggested tweets, or ways to improve this FREE service.
