Hackers can crack weak passwords in seconds, while strong ones may take years. Learn about the time to crack your password and boost security.

Security experts advise creating strong, complex passwords to protect our online accounts and data from savvy cybercriminals. And “complex” typically means using lowercase and uppercase characters, numbers, and even special symbols. But, complexity by itself can still open your password to cracking if it doesn’t contain enough characters, according to research by security firm Hive Systems.

In this article, we look into how long it would take for hackers to crack different types of passwords and what you can do to make them more secure.

How long does it take to crack a password?

In their 2024 Hive Systems Password Table report, Hive found that a complex, eight-character password that contains numbers, symbols, and both upper and lowercase letters will take seven years to crack — if an attacker were to use a top-of-the-line 12 x RTX 4090 graphics card.

In comparison, a five-character password with only upper and lowercase letters can be cracked in two minutes. Further, Hive says that a four-character password with only lowercase letters can be hacked instantly, while a five-character password with both upper and lowercase letters can be hacked in three seconds.

In my view, this shows how crucial it is to apply password best practices, such as using a mix of letters, symbols, and numbers, whenever possible. This is especially so since, given the stark contrast in the amount of time passwords could be cracked depending on their complexity.

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Source : https://www.techrepublic.com/article/time-to-crack-your-password-guide/