You can share your WiFi password safely by using a strong password, creating a guest network, enabling your router’s encryption and regularly updating your router. Sharing
A password breach is when a cybercriminal has your password and is able to use it to get into your account. Password breaches can occur due to social engineering and public data breaches, but most often, weak password habits are the culprit.
Continue reading to learn more about how passwords get breached and how you can check if your passwords have been breached.
How do passwords get breached?
Password breaches can happen in many ways, but the most common ways passwords get breached is due to password reuse, using weak passwords, falling for phishing scams and insecurely storing passwords.
Reusing passwords
Password reuse is a common cause of breaches. Studies show that 52% of people reuse passwords across multiple accounts for convenience. However, this practice poses a significant risk. If a cybercriminal obtains one password, they can potentially access all accounts where that password is used. For example, if a company suffers a breach and your password is exposed, cybercriminals may attempt credential stuffing attacks to gain access to other accounts using the same password.
Using weak passwords
Passwords are vulnerable to breaches when they are weak. This includes passwords that are easy to guess or crack due to their simplicity, such as those using common words, repeated characters, personal information like birth dates and passwords that are less than 16 characters long. To reduce this risk, it’s a good idea to avoid using weak passwords and instead use strong, unique passwords for each account. Online password generators can make this process easier by creating complex passwords securely with just a click of a button.
Phishing scams
Phishing scams involve cybercriminals impersonating trusted entities such as companies or family members through emails, text messages or phone calls. Their goal is to trick victims into revealing sensitive information that they can then use to compromise their online accounts.
For example, a cybercriminal might send you a phishing email saying to immediately change your password because your account has been compromised. The email may even urge you to click on a link, but clicking that link could take you to a spoofed website that looks legitimate. If you enter your credentials into the spoofed website, you’re essentially handing them over to the cybercriminal.
Insecurely storing passwords
Anytime you store your passwords insecurely, like in a spreadsheet or the notes feature on your phone, you’re placing your accounts at risk of becoming compromised. Storing login credentials in an unencrypted format means cybercriminals can easily gain access to your accounts and any data stored within them.
Insecure password-sharing methods
Password sharing is meant to give others access to your account with your approval. However, insecure password-sharing methods like sharing passwords through text messages and email can be easily intercepted by cybercriminals. Furthermore, if a bad actor has physical access to your device, they can see the password in plain text.
It’s important that when you choose to share your passwords, you do so with end-to-end encryption to prevent your password from being breached. A password manager can facilitate this type of secure credential sharing.
What happens if my passwords get breached?
If any of your passwords get breached, it can lead to a variety of privacy and financial issues that can have serious impacts on your day-to-day life. Data stolen by a cybercriminal can be used to access other accounts, especially if you reuse passwords or variations of them. Password breaches can also lead to cybercriminals blackmailing you or stealing your identity.
If a cybercriminal were to breach your email password and you don’t have Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) enabled on your account, they could potentially reset passwords for your other accounts linked to the same email address.
How to know if your password is breached
The best way to know if your password has been breached is by initiating a dark web scan. Keeper Security offers a free dark web scan that allows you to check if your data has been stolen and published on the dark web. The dark web is a hidden part of the internet that allows transactions and information to be shared and sold anonymously. It is notoriously used for unlawful purchases, including the selling and purchasing of stolen personal information.
How to prevent your passwords from being breached
You can prevent your password from being breached by using a password manager, enabling MFA and avoiding public WiFi.
Use a password manager
The best way to prevent your passwords from getting breached is by using a password manager. A password manager is a tool that helps you generate, manage and securely store your passwords. Password managers help you ensure that your passwords are always following password best practices and are never being reused across your accounts.
One way passwords get breached is by using personal information when creating a password. For example, using a pet name or the street you live on in your password makes it easy for cybercriminals to guess and gain access to your account. Of course, remembering passwords that have no significance to you can be hard, but that’s where using a password manager helps. With a password manager, the only password you’ll have to remember is your master password. An added benefit to using a password manager is that it’ll also enable you to securely share your passwords with friends and family.
Enable MFA
Another essential step in increasing your overall online security is to enable multi-factor authentication whenever possible. MFA requires you to use one or more additional methods of authentication to log in to your accounts. Having MFA enabled keeps your confidential information safeguarded from unauthorized access. Even if your passwords were to become breached, a cybercriminal would still be unable to access your account if MFA was enabled, because they wouldn’t be able to authenticate who they are.
Avoid using public WiFi
Avoiding public WiFi can also help prevent your passwords from being breached. When using public WiFi, your data is vulnerable to being intercepted through a Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) attack. A MITM attack is when data being sent between two individuals is intercepted by a cybercriminal. Avoiding public WiFi will mitigate the risk of a MITM attack happening to you.
Stay safe from password breaches
Remember to always use strong, unique passwords that are not easily guessable. To ensure you’re always using strong passwords, use a password manager like Keeper. As the world’s most trusted password manager, Keeper can keep your passwords protected from breaches. Its user-friendly interface and seamless cross-device functionality ensure your passwords stay protected at all times.
Ready to enhance your password security? Start a free 30-day trial of Keeper Password Manager today.