Will your password pass the “Bot” test?

“Bot” – such a simple little word, with a seemingly harmless task – Automation.

A bot is a computer program created to perform a specific task over and over.  They are used every day, in countless ways, across all industries.  They increase productivity, streamline processes, and in general make our lives simpler through the automation of everyday repetitive tasks.  Unfortunately, the same Bots used to simplify our lives can also simplify the lives of hackers and make them more productive as well.

Hackers use bots to facilitate brute force cyberattacks.  Brute force bots are programmed to run through tens of thousands of username and password combinations in milliseconds, in an attempt to gain unauthorized access to your online accounts – banking, shopping, credit cards, email, anything with data and a password.  This method is fast and effective.

As online consumers, it is our job to protect ourselves as best we can from such brute force attacks.  The first line of defense is a quality password.  If you are anything like me, the article below will make you rethink your idea of a “Quality Password”!  The second, is to not use the same password for all online accounts, no matter how strong you believe it to be.  If the hacker’s bot successfully guesses one, they will try that password to brute force access other online accounts – banking, shopping, credit cards, email, anything with data and a password.

Follow the link below to a Hive Systems article and chart to see just how strong your password is, or isn’t.  You might be surprised!

https://forums.qrz.com/index.php?threads/how-strong-is-your-password.861498/

The information found within the linked article above is for general informational purposes only. Germantown Trust & Savings Bank makes no representation or warranty, express or implied. This site may contain links to third party content, which we do not warrant, endorse, or assume liability for.  The views and opinions expressed in the article linked above are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Germantown Trust & Savings Bank.