Short answer: it depends on how complex your password is. Weak passwords can be cracked in seconds, while strong ones can take years.
The below information is taken from https://www.techrepublic.com/article/time-to-crack-your-password-guide/
In their 2024 Hive Systems Password Table report, Hive found that a complex, eight-character password that contains numbers, symbols, and both upper and lowercase letters will take seven years to crack — if an attacker were to use a top-of-the-line 12 x RTX 4090 graphics card.
In comparison, a five-character password with only upper and lowercase letters can be cracked in two minutes. Further, Hive says that a four-character password with only lowercase letters can be hacked instantly, while a five-character password with both upper and lowercase letters can be hacked in three seconds.
Looking into words versus numbers, Hive’s data shows that passphrases win over more traditional passwords. An 18-character password with only numbers would require 11,000 years to crack, but one with the same number of characters using lowercase letters would take 350 billion years to crack. This piece of data shows why passphrases, which use a long string of real but random words, can be more secure than a complex but short password.
Hive’s report shows that passphrases with a mix of 18 uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols are the most difficult to brute force.
How to protect yourself and your organization from password cracking
Due to the progress in graphics and AI technology, most types of passwords require less time to crack than they did only two years ago. For example, a seven-character password with letters, numbers, and symbols would take seven minutes to crack in 2020 but only four seconds in 2023. Given these technological advances, how can you and your organization better secure your password-protected accounts and data? Here are a few tips.
Try using a passphrase instead of a password
A passphrase is a long string of often random words. Passphrases are often more secure than passwords and are usually easier to remember. Examples of this would be something like “Sunset-cola-Mouse!” or “GatePen2BoxerRose”.
If you go the passphrase route, there are a few things to remember:
- Make sure it’s at least 10-15 characters or more.
- Avoid using common phrases or song lyrics.
- Choose a passphrase that’s memorable to you.
- Add in some numbers and symbols to your phrases.
For a more in-depth tutorial, check out our What is a Passphrase? guide here.
Use a mix of numbers, symbols, uppercase, and lowercase letters at the same time
One of the main takeaways from the Hive Systems report is the significant influence complexity has on overall password strength. By complexity, I’m referring to the presence of letters (upper and lowercase), symbols, and numbers within passwords.
While having one character type makes your password more secure, having a mix of all of them will reap you the most benefits and security.
