AI can crack passwords and fast...

A recent experiment by cybersecurity firm Home Security Heroes used an AI-driven password cracker tool called PassGAN to crack over 50% of the passwords fed to it in under a minute. PassGAN is driven by two neural networks: one that generates passwords, and another that distinguishes between “fake” passwords and passwords taken from real data breaches. The tool was able to crack 65% of passwords in under an hour, 71% in a day, and 81% in a month. Passwords with low character counts and little variation were cracked instantly, while even slightly more complex passwords could be determined much quicker. The experiment highlights the importance of using long, random, and unique passwords, and not reusing passwords across multiple sites.

Home Security Heroes recommends using passwords that are at least 15 characters long, with a mix of upper and lower case letters, numbers, and symbols, and not following obvious or predictable patterns. Password managers can help generate random, unique passwords and change credentials when it’s time to step up password strength. Two-factor authentication is also recommended for added security. However, it is important to note that as AI models continue to learn rapidly, 18-character passwords may not solve security needs forever.