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How Secure is Your Password? An Analysis of E-Commerce Passwords and their Crack Time

 

 

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Source
Journal of Information Systems Security
Volume 2, Number 3 (2006)
Pages 6982
ISSN 1551-0123 (Print)
ISSN 1551-0808 (Online)
Authors
Joseph A. Cazier — Appalachian State University, USA
B. Dawn Medlin — Appalachian State University, USA
Publisher
Information Institute Publishing, Washington DC, USA

 

 

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to examine passwords that are created by endusers in relationship to length, strength, and crack times. Examinations of these passwords illustrate the connectivity between password length and strength and the need to educate users as to the importance of their password choices. Through an empirical analysis of actual user passwords from a commercial website, this paper examines whether the passwords created by individuals on an e-commerce site follow “good” or “bad” password practices. Additionally, this paper addresses the issue of crack times (the time it takes to ‘crack’ a password) in relationship to password choice. The results of this study show the actual password practices of current consumers and should indicate to both organizations and endusers the need for further education and the need for more secure password choices. Almost a third of passwords were cracked in less than one minute, and lacked basic features that should be in any secure password.

 

 

Keywords

Passwords, Security, Hacking, Cracking, Password Cracking

 

 

References

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