Why Should We Have Secure Passwords?

   

   We hear a lot about companies’ computer systems being hacked these days. It makes you wonder, how did this happen? Where was the weak spot that allowed the hacker access to the entire system? According to the University of Texas, that weak spot is most often a weak password.  

   If someone else is able to guess or crack your password, you give them access to your e-mail, messages, bank accounts, research, contact lists or anything else on your computer. They could alter or destroy files or even overtake your computer and turn it into a zombie, a computer used by a hacker to do things like sending out large quantities of spam.

   Also, protecting your computer and accounts with strong passwords protects other users connected to you by a network.  “For instance, just about every student, faculty member and staff member at The University of Texas at Austin regularly accesses the university network. If one password is breached, all of the computers on the network are put at potential risk for hackers, viruses or worms. We each need to do our part to protect computing resources at the university. Just remember, a network is only as strong as its weakest password.”

Article used: http://www.utexas.edu/its/secure/articles/importance_strong_passwords.php

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