Building a More Resilient Online Environment in Latin America: How to Protect Your Password from Cyber Attacks

It is a commitment shared by governments, companies and society to build a more resilient online environment in the region (infobae archive)

Passwords are a primary resource for many accounts on the Internet, but what few know is that worldwide there are thousands of people who use it. It is so common that no matter the country, language or social status, millions use the same one: ‘123456′, ‘admin’ and ‘12345678′.

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At Infobae we always carry out awareness campaigns to have a strong password but despite warnings and continuous online thefts, users continue to create weak passwords.

This is the list of the most used passwords worldwide according to the Nordpass portal that analyzes this information in the world.

List of the most used passwords on the internet in 2023 (Nordpass)

Passwords act as the first line of defense in protecting our personal and financial information online. As our dependence on online services for activities such as banking, shopping and communications increases, so does the risk of cyber attacks.

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Cybercriminals use various techniques to access online accounts, including phishing, brute force attacks, and the use of malware. A strong password can be a significant obstacle to these malicious attempts.

According to Eset Latin America, the situation in Latin America reflects a scenario where the lack of awareness about cybersecurity is combined with the rise of cyber threats in the region.

Latin America faces challenges, but also has the opportunity to reverse this panorama through awareness, education and the adoption of best digital security practices. (Illustrative Image Infobae)

In this context, the research team highlights that:

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-”Beyond individual awareness, the persistence of this data serves as a reminder that cybersecurity is a collective effort. Latin America faces challenges, but also has the opportunity to reverse this panorama through awareness, education and the adoption of best digital security practices.

-To build a more secure digital future, it is necessary to understand that password protection is a commitment shared by governments, companies and society as a whole to build a more resilient online environment in the region.

“It is essential to ensure that online platforms encourage and require strong passwords; raise awareness about the importance of generating unique keys for each account; promote the use of tools such as password manager(s); “implementing effective cyber education campaigns and adopting advanced security measures are measures that can mitigate risks and protect both corporate information and that of end users,” said Camilo Gutiérrez Amaya, head of the ESET Latin America Research Laboratory.

A weak or commonly used password such as “123456” or “password” can be easily guessed (Illustrative Image Infobae)

A weak or commonly used password such as “123456” or “password” can be easily guessed or cracked by hacking algorithms. But the names are also common.

“benjamin”, “antonio” and “santiago” are the three names most used in the world as passwords, so cybercriminals already know about them and can go after the data of those who have those names or family members with them.

Best practices for creating a strong password include using a combination of upper and lower case letters, numbers, and symbols. Also, it is advisable to avoid complete words, common names or significant dates, since these can be guessed or found on social networks.

It is recommended not to reuse passwords on different sites or services (Illustrative Image Infobae)

Also, do not reuse passwords across different sites or services, as a successful attack on one account could compromise all others that share the same password.

Password length also plays an important role. Experts suggest that a strong password should be at least 12 characters long. The longer the password, the more difficult it will be for an attacker to crack it using brute force methods.

Another layer of security is two-factor authentication (2FA), where in addition to the password, a second verification method is required, such as a text message or an authenticator app. This provides additional security even if the password is compromised.

2023-12-29 17:39:02
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