Confessions of an Internet hacker: Stealing your personal information was hard to resist

California CPA, March, 2002 by Larry Russell

Any password can be guessed if given enough time--even the one created here. Therefore, it is important to change your password within the amount of time it would take an attacker to guess it. The sample password may take 60 days to crack on a very fast computer. Therefore a user should change a password of this length every 60 days.

This Means You

The password security procedures outlined here apply to both organizational and home-use computers. All computers with Internet connections have the potential to become gateways to sensitive information. Crackers use unprotected workstations as agents to cover their attacks on other systems.

While passwords are a very important security measure, they are only one component of the "defense in depth" principle. Passwords need to be used along with other measures such as updated anti-virus software, personal firewalls and a well-constructed overall security policy.

Larry Russell