As computing power continues to increase along with the growth of Artificial Intelligence, it is becoming easier to crack user’s passwords. Having a longer, more complex, and unique password for your account is vital.
A recent study by Home Security Heroes has shown how quickly passwords can be broken.
| # of Characters | Numbers Only | Lowercase Letters | Lowercase Upper & Letters | Numbers, Upper & Lowercase Letters | Numbers, Upper & Lowercase Letters, Symbols |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Instantly | Instantly | Instantly | Instantly | Instantly |
| 5 | Instantly | Instantly | Instantly | Instantly | Instantly |
| 6 | Instantly | Instantly | Instantly | Instantly | 4 Seconds |
| 7 | Instantly | Instantly | 22 Seconds | 42 Seconds | 6 Minutes |
| 8 | Instantly | 3 Seconds | 19 Minutes | 48 Minutes | 7 Hours |
| 9 | Instantly | 1 Minute | 11 Hours | 2 Days | 2 Weeks |
| 10 | Instantly | 1 Hour | 4 Weeks | 6 Months | 5 Years |
| 11 | Instantly | 23 Hours | 4 Years | 38 Years | 356 Years |
| 12 | 25 Seconds | 3 Weeks | 289 Years | 2 K Years | 30 K Years |
| 13 | 3 Minutes | 11 Months | 16 K Years | 91 K Years | 2 M Years |
| 14 | 36 Minutes | 49 Years | 827 K Years | 9 M Years | 187 M Years |
| 15 | 5 Hours | 890 Years | 47 M Years | 613 M Years | 14 Bn Years |
| 16 | 2 Days | 23 K Years | 540 M Years | 26 Bn Years | 1 Tn Years |
| 17 | 2 Weeks | 812 K Years | 2 Bn Years | 2 Tn Years | 95 Tn Tears |
| 18 | 10 Months | 22 M Years | 7.23 Bn Years | 96 Tn Years | 6 Qn Years |
Things to Remember:
- The Clemson Account and Password Management Policy states that
“Each user is responsible for creating strong passwords and safeguarding the IT Credentials of the User.” - Password length and complexity are key to its strength.
- Do not re-use the same password on different accounts.
- Avoid using Public Wi-Fi, especially when you need to login to accounts.
To update your Clemson password, use the Password Change Utility.
