Password

From Saferpedia

The password is a safety element used to identify authorized users for a computer software or a network. It's also used to define user's permissions like writing and reading rights or copy rights.

The use of passwords is known as recognition method since antiquity. For example, sentinels would ask for a password they've agreed before on, to any person who wanted to come close or enter a certain area. So in that area only the people knowing the password could enter. Nowadays usernames and passwords are used by people to gain access to protected informational systems, mobiles, cable TV decoders, ATMs, etc.

If a password is easy to remember by the owner it generally means that it can be easily broken by a hacker. Passwords that are difficult to remember will reduce a system's security because the user could write it down on some kind of support, making it easier to be found. A password must be easy to remember by the owner and difficult to crack, like mixing letters, numbers and special characters in the same password. The character "space" is the hardest to crack in a password.

Security factors for a system of passwords

The number of times an attacker is allowed to guess the password is a very important security factor. Some systems allow an user to insert the password three times in a row, on the fourth time the system will be blocked.

The way the passwords are stored is also another important security factor. Some systems store passwords as plain text and compare user's attempts with the text. If an attacker reaches such a document, all users accounts are compromised. If users use the same password for more than one account, these will be compromised too. Many systems store each password in a protected encrypted form so the access to the real password wouldn't be so easy.

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