Password Encryption for Extra Protection

Numerous cybersecurity solutions were previously a monopoly of cybersecurity professionals and IT systems. However, this put many individuals at risk of attempting hackers who were trying to steal their data by decoding their passwords. The need for individuals to learn how to protect themselves on the internet necessitates learning how to encrypt a password.

In this article, we will learn what a password is, what encryption is, and the different methods. We will then go through an example to show how the different types of password encryption work. Lastly, we will answer whether password encryption is enough of a protection tool.

What Is a Password?

A password is a set of characters you use to access something, such as an account or a service. We use passwords in almost everything today to gain access to our accounts, social media, and banking services and to keep prying eyes from spying on us. Passwords are a means of protecting our information; if you don’t have the password, you can’t access this particular service or account.

A strong password must meet three criteria: it must be of specific length, contain numbers and characters besides letters, and not be easily predictable. In general, service websites will require you to meet these three criteria when creating your password as a step towards keeping your account safe.

What Is Encryption?

Encryption is the process of mixing data, so it may appear incoherent to conceal this data from outsiders. When you encrypt data, you do so by using an encryption key, and the data cannot be decrypted unless you have the proper key to decrypt it. Encryption is vital for your cybersecurity because readable data online is easily stolen, so you must encrypt any sensitive data before online transfer. Additionally, cybersecurity experts recommend that you encrypt data at rest to protect it from any possible attack attempt on your device.

What Is Password Encryption?

Password encryption is when the encryption tool scrambles the characters of your password to make it unreadable to other people. Experts use several types of password encryption; the result is always the same: readable text turns into unreadable text. The common password encryption types are:

Symmetric Key

The Symmetric Key is the one used by your server to encrypt and decrypt the password. To encrypt your password, you just put it through the key, and it will scramble it for you. If you pull the password back through the key, it will decrypt it for you. For a hacker to crack your password, they must steal the key used to encrypt it.

Public Key

The Public key refers to two keys. The first key is the one you use to encrypt the data, and it is available to everyone, while the second key is the one used to decrypt the data and is only available to a selected number of people. In this regard, you will use the first key to encrypt the data, and the recipient will need the second key to decrypt the data and be able to read it.

Hashed

Hashed is a specific algorithm that you use to encode your password by turning from a readable phrase into a random and unreadable set of letters and numbers. For the hacker to crack your password, they must know the exact algorithm you used to scramble the password, which is a difficult task as many algorithms can be used.

Salted

The Salted encryption type comprises two parts: the first part adds a combination of letters and numbers, called a hash, to the beginning of your password before you push it through hashing. The second part is the hashing process or algorithm through which the password goes afterwards. For the hacker to decode your message, they must know the hashing algorithm you used. You can use the same Salt to decode all messages or a different Salt for every message.

How to Encrypt a Password?

There are several tools you can use to encrypt a password. Each tool works differently and has a different shortcut and application. To demonstrate, we will use a fake password as an example and each tool to encrypt it.

We assume your password is F@rLimit*$!, or Far Limits in the common language. Now, let’s use the different encryption tools to encrypt it.

1. SHA-1: SHA stands for Secure Hash Algorithm, which uses a string of 40 random numbers and letters. When we run our password through the encryptor, it will become “d85669f719322d44b885c78d1e035ff0bc03e7ab“.
2. SHA-1 with Salt: The password will still consist of 40 characters, but we used the word “free” at the end, so it will become “fc84bc9f5de0f51f7eea7a05d6f1a5ea1b537a39“. Using these two encryption methods will give different results each time, so pay attention when you encrypt your password.
3. MD5: This method scrambles the password into a 128-bit string fingerprint. It is commonly used to encode smaller passwords, such as banking or credit card information. For our example, the safe password will be “cbe110855d585d64a8c5cc8c4da8891a.“
4. AES: This encryption algorithm results in many variables for your encrypted password to choose from, mainly because you can choose the bit length, the encryption mode and the secret key. 

Using different password encryption methods will set the hacker back when trying to access your system and files. These methods will also frustrate the hackers since they’ll be looking through tens, if not thousands, of possible suggestions for your password, and they will eventually choose another easier target.

Why Is Password Encryption Important?

Password encryption is vital to every individual, entity or business that relies on passwords to secure their data. The unsavoury truth is that even mega-corporations are susceptible to data breaches, hence data theft, and can fall victim to ransomware, data leaks, and the selling of corporations’ information on the black market. All these scenarios have horrible implications for the corporation in the business field.

For individuals, encrypting your data so that cybercriminals cannot read or understand it will prevent your private data from theft and money scams. A cybercriminal can use your information, such as credit card numbers, to make online purchases on your account. They can even be used for illegal activities, which will cause problems with your bank and damage your credit.

Password encryption, and data encryption in general, will protect your data from theft and illegal use. This is because encryption will make your password unfathomable. Hence, even if a cybercriminal steals your data, he won’t be able to use it because he can’t read it.

We need to emphasise that password encryption isn’t limited to the passwords of your online accounts. It also includes the main password you use for your password manager, for example. A password manager helps you keep track of all your passwords for all your accounts without the need to remember every password because you only need to remember the main one. This password manager will help you by suggesting solid passwords for your accounts, and you can set reminders from the application to remind you when you need to change an account’s password after a specific period.

What Are the Best Password Managers on the Web?

There are numerous password managers available online. Some password managers will come integrated with your antivirus agents, such as Avast Antivirus, TotalAv, Kaspersky and Bitdefender. However, you can download several password managers online if your antivirus agent doesn’t offer one or you’re searching for one that’s separate from the software.

1. Dashlane.
2. Sticky Password.
3. RoboForm.
4. LastPass.
5. 1Password.
6. KeePass.

Is Password Encryption Enough?

No!

When you use password encryption, you only take one step in protecting your system from possible attacks. Your passwords will be safe both in transit and at rest, but encrypted passwords can be identified if the hacker is persistent enough. This is why experts recommend that your password meet the Strong Password Policy checklist. 

Your passwords must be:

1. Unique: Set a distinguished password for every system you have, such as your main system and the backup. If the hacker can access the main system, he can use the same password to access your backup.
2. Strong: Roll the dice if you have to create strong, unrecognisable passwords, such as one that consists of letters that you can translate into numbers. 
3. Memorable: You can keep track of all your passwords, whether by writing them down and keeping the paper in a safe place or using a password management solution.

With the proper tools to encrypt passwords, creating memorable and unique protective passwords is easier than it was before. Be sure to be vigilant and act speedily in the case of a breach notification, or you’ll be giving the hacker the time he needs to decrypt your passwords and access your data.

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