As the world becomes more reliant on technology, there’s no denying that the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is on the rise. While AI has brought numerous advantages, it’s also created new challenges, including password security. A recent study has found that AI chatbots can break into 51% of commonly used passwords in under a minute using a method called Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs). Here’s what you need to know:
The New AI Program: PassGAN
Home Security Heroes has created PassGAN, an AI program capable of cracking passwords at an alarming speed. According to a recent study, PassGAN can crack 51% of commonly used passwords in under 30 seconds. The study further revealed that the AI program could crack 65% of passwords in less than an hour, 71% within 24 hours, and 81% within 30 days. These results are significantly faster than traditional password cracking techniques and even human experts.
How PassGAN Works?
PassGAN is a password-hacking tool that derives its name from a combination of “Password” and “Generative Adversarial Networks” (GAN). GAN is the underlying mechanism that powers the tool and operates through a neural network. The neural network creates and tests passwords until it discovers a match, allowing PassGAN to crack passwords alarmingly.
It involves two neural networks working together to generate passwords. The first network generates passwords, while the second network checks them against real passwords to see if they will succeed. The system improves with each attempt, learning from its mistakes and becoming more successful at breaking into accounts.
Neural networks are complex systems that train machines to process and understand data, similar to how the human brain works. In the case of GANs, neural networks are programmed to learn various patterns and characteristics. The technology was trained using the RockYou dataset, a data set commonly used to train AI systems on password analysis. With this training, GAN is able to use the learned knowledge to generate new sample passwords that follow the distribution of the neural network.
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Take a Look at the Speed at Which The AI Can Crack Your Password
This news comes at a time when the use of AI chatbots is on the rise. Companies across a range of industries are turning to chatbots to streamline their customer service and improve efficiency. However, the potential for these chatbots to be used maliciously is a cause for concern.
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What Should We Do?
PassGAN’s ability to crack passwords is limited when it comes to passwords that exceed 18 characters in length. Specifically, number-only passwords of this length can take up to 10 months to crack, while passwords containing a combination of symbols, numbers, and upper-case and lower-case letters would take an astonishing six quintillion years to crack. Therefore, it is recommended to use long, complex passwords with a diverse range of characters to protect against AI-powered password-cracking tools like PassGAN.
There are several measures that you can take to protect your passwords and ensure the security of your personal data:
- The strength of a password is the primary factor distinguishing between an easy-to-crack password and a secure one. It is recommended to consider the following factors to increase password strength and minimize the risk of password compromise:
- Use a minimum of 15 characters in your password.
- Include at least two letters (one upper-case and one lower-case), numbers, and symbols in your password.
- Change your passwords every three to six months to ensure they are up-to-date and difficult to crack. If you suspect that your password has been compromised, change it immediately.
- Reusing the same password for multiple accounts can pose a significant security risk, as a single breach can result in unauthorized access to numerous accounts. It is strongly recommended that unique passwords be created for each account to mitigate this risk. This measure can significantly increase the security of your accounts, making it more difficult for unauthorized individuals to gain access to your personal data.
- Use Password Managers: Password managers are software tools that generate and store strong passwords for you. This eliminates the need for you to remember multiple passwords and ensures each password is unique and difficult to crack. And for this exact purpose, we suggest you use TweakPass Password Manager.
Take a look at this detailed review to find out why we are suggesting the ultimate password manager: TweakPass.
Final Word on How AI Chatbots Are Breaking Into Common Passwords With Ease
As AI technology continues to evolve, we’ll likely see more instances of chatbots being used for malicious purposes. However, with the right precautions in place, it’s possible to stay safe online. Whether using strong passwords, password managers, or being cautious about what information you share online, it’s important to remain vigilant in the face of these new threats.
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