How do you set up a secure Wi-Fi password that hackers can't easily crack?
Protecting your home network starts with a strong Wi-Fi password. Cybersecurity isn't just for the experts; it's a necessity for everyone in this digital age. Hackers are always on the lookout for easy targets, and an unsecured Wi-Fi network is like an open door to your personal information. By setting up a secure Wi-Fi password, you're adding a significant layer of defense against potential intruders. Let's dive into how you can create a Wi-Fi password that's tough for hackers to crack, ensuring your online activities and data remain private.
When creating a Wi-Fi password, understanding the basics is crucial. A strong password should be at least 12 characters long and include a mix of upper and lower case letters, numbers, and special symbols. Avoid common words or phrases, as these are easily guessed or cracked by hackers using dictionary attacks. Instead, think of a unique phrase and incorporate various character types to make it complex. For example, the phrase "SafeHome2021!" is better than "house1234", as it includes different character types and is less predictable.
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Michael Lopez 🛡️
CISSP, CASP+, GIAC, Sec+
It doesn't matter how great your password is if your Wi-Fi is easy to crack. This means not using WEP, WPA, or even WPA2 which many are still on. All of which are very easy to crack by even a scriptkiddie. Instead use WPA3 as it is the most readily available secure Wi-Fi technology.
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Robert Terro, CISSP
Infosec professional with 20+ years of experience. Send me a PM📩 and let's talk about how I can help you to progress in cybersecurity.
Here's some basics: -Aim for at least 12 characters or more. -Use a mix of uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters (!, @, #, $, etc.). This increases the complexity of the password, making it harder to crack. -Avoid dictionary words -Create a password that doesn't follow a predictable pattern
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William Douglass
Cyberspace Defense Warrant Officer, Adjunct IT Professor, Small Business Owner
1- Ensure you're using the best Wi-Fi protocol. 2- Make sure it's not easily guessed by people. 3- Make sure it's not easily figured out by a computer. 4- Randomness plus length help with #2 and #3.
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Chris M.
💼 Managing Partner of RedBlue Security Recruiting | 💻 Security Researcher -REal0day
Simple. Create a sentence for your password. It's long enough to be difficult to guess, and easy enough to share. Use correct punctuation, including capital letters and a period at the end.
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Ainoa Guillén Gonzalez
Co-Founder of SyndiK8 • Cybercrime and Threat Intelligence Research • Speaker • Underground • Divulgation and teaching as passions • Interested in ransomware research
To this day I keep coming across password policies that are all wrong and that do not take into account the basic characteristics that password creation should have: - More than 12 characters, ideally 15 would be more optimal. - Contain a variety of characters, letters, numbers and symbols, alternating upper and lower case as well. - It should be unrelated to anything in your life, as social engineering is very adept at extracting these types of passwords. - Better that they are not common words, as we must not forget that dictionaries exist. - Do not write them down on a pos-it on your computer screen. Physical attacks still exist.
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DHARMENDRA VERMA
Student at National Forensic Science University Delhi Campas | Co-Founder of BridgitalNation | Coordinator of Universal Science Club (VP-UP0019) affiliated to Vigyan Prasar DST, Government of India
Avoid Common Patterns: Avoid common keyboard patterns such as "qwerty" or "asdfghjkl." These are easily guessed by attackers. Change Regularly: Consider changing your Wi-Fi password regularly, such as every few months, to reduce the likelihood of it being compromised. Enable WPA3 Encryption: Use the latest Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA3) encryption standard if your router supports it. Avoid Dictionary Words: Avoid using easily guessable words found in dictionaries or common phrases. Hackers often use dictionary attacks to crack passwords. Complexity: Use a combination of uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters (e.g., !, @, #, $, %).
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Prince ☀️Okeke
Pentester | Cyber Security Specialist | System Technician | System Networker | I.T Consultant | Marketing And Sales Professional | Business Consultant.
it does not matter the kind of password you use sometime, to note that, almost everything is accessible, what you should do is not just use different case (UpPu) for your password but attach as many characters possible (./,.\;['=) nevertheless having applications that must permit authentication into a device is key in your protection, password updates and multiple passwords around all devices will always reduce penetration and help in protection and lastly the longer the password following this rules the better.
Beyond the basics, there are advanced strategies to further secure your password. Consider using a passphrase—a sequence of words or a sentence that is easy for you to remember but hard for others to guess. For example, "BlueCoffeeMugOnDesk!" could be a passphrase that's both memorable and complex. Additionally, regularly updating your Wi-Fi password can help prevent ongoing unauthorized access, even if your password has been compromised without your knowledge.
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Mirza Burhan Baig
Senior Security Consultant | Trainer - Speaker | Entrepreneur | Traveler | Threat Hunter
Just a common practice that I ask people to follow is, just make your credentials easy for you remember and hard to guess. And how you are gonna do that..? Very easy, just remember your favorite movie dialogue or any other Drama/series dialogue that is 10+ characters long as a password. That will work.
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Faisal Yahya
Passionate to Upskilling People about CyberSecurity | Country Manager | CREST Asia | CSA & EC-Council Official Instructor | Speaker
Here's my perspective, focusing on the practical aspects of securing your Wi-Fi: Don't Be Clever: Avoid personal info (birthdates, etc.) in your passphrase. Attackers can easily find that online. Think random, not memorable. The Router Matters: Even the best password won't help if the router's firmware is old and buggy. Prioritize devices that get regular security updates. "Guest" Access Is Your Friend: For visitors, use a separate network with a different password. This keeps your main Wi-Fi safer if someone's device is compromised. I realize password strength one part of a layered approach. If someone's determined enough, they can break in. Your goal is to make it so difficult that they go find an easier target instead.
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Yaseen Khan
Bug Bounty Hunter | Offensive Security | Python Automation & Web Application Penetration Testing
Most of the time passwords can be brute force easily with the word lists But a song lyrics is hard to guess or a paraphrase
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shaikh waqas
"Cyber Security MSC Candidate | Advanced Computer Networking Specialist | Passionate Penetration and Web Application Tester | Advancing Security Through Hands-on Experience”
password managers + 2FA is the best possible way to make it secure. 2FA alone is not enough now and the length of the password should be good enough with at least 15 characters using password manager.
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Ainoa Guillén Gonzalez
Co-Founder of SyndiK8 • Cybercrime and Threat Intelligence Research • Speaker • Underground • Divulgation and teaching as passions • Interested in ransomware research
One of the things that I think should become standard practice is the use of a password manager. While we have experienced that password managers have been breached, which is highly dangerous, it is much less common than breaches of standard user passwords. Therefore, having good password storage software can help us to use much more complex passwords, without having to retain them in our brains.
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Ranjinni Joshe ✨️
Cloud Risk Champion 2023 | AWS Cloud Security | ICS, OT, IIOT & Industrial Cybersecurity ISA/IEC 62443 | Senior Cloud Security Specialist | W3-CS Leader | Women Tech Global Ambassador
-Use a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters. -Create a long password (at least 12 characters). -Avoid using easily guessable information such as birthdates, names, or commonly used words. -Change your Wi-Fi password regularly. -Enable WPA2 encryption on your router for additional security. -Avoid using common words or phrases from the dictionary. -Consider using a passphrase instead of a single word as a password. -Use a password manager to generate and store complex passwords. -Disable WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup) on your router, as it can be vulnerable to hacking. -Turn off guest networks on your router if not needed to reduce potential security risks.
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Zia Rehman 🐱💻
React.js | Node.js | Tailwlind Css ,Mern Stack Developer bringing innovation and a touch of madness to Web Dev
Choosing a those words as a password that nobody has ever spoken. It's a good security practice because they are less guessable. For Example: " #$(*Awq18_*&56g75iucxdc%^)(_+ "
Ensure your network is using the latest security protocol, WPA3 (Wi-Fi Protected Access 3). WPA3 is the newest security certification program that provides cutting-edge security protocols to protect your Wi-Fi network. If your router supports WPA3, enable it in your router's settings. This will provide stronger encryption and better protection against brute-force attacks, where hackers attempt to guess your password by trying numerous combinations.
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Gaurish Bahurupi
WEB PENETRATION TESTING INTERN | HALL OF FAME - NASA | WEB SECURITY RESEARCHER | BUG HUNTER
I would recommend utilizing WPA3 encryption. Upgrading your Wi-Fi router to support WPA3 provides stronger security protocols, making it more challenging for hackers to compromise your network. By implementing WPA3, you can enhance the encryption strength of your Wi-Fi password and better protect your network from unauthorized access.
Consider using a password manager to generate and store a complex Wi-Fi password. Password managers can create passwords that are virtually impossible for hackers to guess due to their length and complexity. These tools also store your passwords securely, so you don't have to remember them. Just make sure that your password manager is reputable and uses strong encryption to protect your data.
Keeping your router's firmware up to date is as important as having a strong Wi-Fi password. Manufacturers release firmware updates to patch security vulnerabilities and improve the performance of their devices. Check for updates regularly or enable automatic updates if your router has that feature. An updated router means the latest security enhancements are in place to complement your secure Wi-Fi password.
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Ainoa Guillén Gonzalez
Co-Founder of SyndiK8 • Cybercrime and Threat Intelligence Research • Speaker • Underground • Divulgation and teaching as passions • Interested in ransomware research
We sometimes make oversights with upgrades that relate to both electronic and IoT devices and the firmware of our ancillary equipment, routers being one of them. These updates are vital for users and should be carried out periodically, as they are one of the means that cybercriminals like to use most to get their hands on the router's firmware.
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Prince ☀️Okeke
Pentester | Cyber Security Specialist | System Technician | System Networker | I.T Consultant | Marketing And Sales Professional | Business Consultant.
in the field of security updates and constant monitoring is a must, this is why every organisation security should be monitored 24/7 and updated regularly cause penetration never stops, having a standby administrative personnel watching over a system can help detect malware or spot attackers.
Finally, utilize network monitoring tools to keep an eye on who is accessing your Wi-Fi network. Many routers come with built-in tools that allow you to see which devices are connected to your network. Unauthorized devices can indicate a breach in security. By monitoring access, you can take immediate action if an unfamiliar device is found, such as changing your Wi-Fi password or disconnecting the intruder from your network.
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Ainoa Guillén Gonzalez
Co-Founder of SyndiK8 • Cybercrime and Threat Intelligence Research • Speaker • Underground • Divulgation and teaching as passions • Interested in ransomware research
Taking a look from time to time is a simple thing to do and can help you discover when something is wrong. It is relatively easy to check who is accessing the network or the devices that are connected to it. Therefore, because it is so easy and affordable and requires no additional investment, it is a practice that should be carried out, if not weekly, then at least monthly.
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Sumeet Singh
Project Manager at Tata Consultancy Services
Few other things to consider are below - Default passwords should not be used - Restrict access using Mac address - encrypt the data on network - SSID should be hidden - SSO based authentication - Keep the AP patches up to date - use separate ssid and policies for guest users
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Muhammad Hamid Ashraf, CISSP CCSP CCIE
CISSP | CCSP | CCIE | Cyber Security Enthusiast
Apart from stronger protocols like WPA3, passwords should not be short as they could be bruteforced by any tool. There should be a combination of Capital letter, small letters, numbers and special characters and should be longer in length.. Now comes the problem of remembering them and everyone cannot afford to have password manager or have trust issues.. so easy way is to use passphrases that are contain all above as combination and will not be cracked using any dictionary or bruteforce attacks