Course 2: Secure Authentication & Password Management
Why Are Passwords Important?
Passwords are like keys that protect your personal and work accounts. A strong password keeps your:
- Email accounts
- Bank information
- School or work data
safe from hackers and criminals.
If your password is weak, hackers can guess it and break into your account.
How Hackers Guess Passwords
1. Brute Force Attacks
- Hackers try every possible combination of letters, numbers, and symbols until they find the right one.
2. Dictionary Attacks
- Hackers use a list of common passwords like “123456” or “password123” to break into accounts.
3. Credential Stuffing
- Hackers use your leaked password from one website to try to log in to other accounts.
Example: If you use the same password for Facebook and your email, and Facebook gets hacked, the hacker can get into your email too.
How to Create a Strong Password
✅ Use at least 12 characters
✅ Include uppercase letters (A-Z), lowercase letters (a-z), numbers (0-9), and symbols (!, @, #, $)
✅ Avoid using:
- Your name or birthday
- Common words like “password” or “admin”
- Repeated characters like “aaaaaa” or “111111”
✅ Make it unique for each account
Example of a Strong Password
Lemon$Tree94!Spin
Easy to remember with a phrase or image in your mind, but hard to guess.
Why You Should Not Reuse Passwords
If a hacker gets your password from one site, they will try it on other sites.
- One leaked password = Many hacked accounts
- Always use a different password for every account
What is a Password Manager?
A password manager is a secure app that helps you:
- Store all your passwords
- Create strong, random passwords
- Remember just one master password instead of many
Popular Password Managers:
- Bitwarden
- 1Password
- LastPass
- Dashlane
Password Tips for Better Security
- Change your passwords if you think they’ve been exposed
- Don’t share your passwords with anyone
- Don’t write passwords on sticky notes or leave them on your desk
- Use a password manager if you forget passwords easily
- Use passphrases (short sentences) that are easy to remember but hard to guess
What If Your Password Is Hacked?
1️⃣ Change it immediately
2️⃣ Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) if available
3️⃣ Check if your email or password has been leaked using trusted tools like haveibeenpwned.com
4️⃣ Update passwords on other accounts where you used the same one
5️⃣ Set up alerts on your accounts for suspicious activity
