The tech world has been dominated by Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT for some time now and it has caused some mixed feelings about it. While AI tools can be incredibly helpful, their potential for causing damage should not be taken lightly. A cybersecurity firm Home Security Heroes recently used an AI tool called PassGAN to decode the most commonly used 4-7 character passwords in just a few seconds. This terrifying tool can instantly crack passwords, even those with variations in uppercase, lowercase alphanumeric formations and special characters, proving to be a major threat towards cybersecurity worldwide.
The powerful AI tool has been designed based on the properties of the Generative Adversarial Network (GAN) model and was fed with more than 15 million common passwords. These malware data have become the primary source for the machine learning password-cracking tools as per the researchers. PassGAN was noted to be able to crack passwords with up to 6 characters without special characters or symbols in an instance, with symbols in place, the cracking time reduced to just 4 seconds. The tool was even able to crack passwords with up to seven characters instantly unless they had uppercase and lowercase variable alphabets, with all the alphanumeric and special character variations.
It is important to note that as the characters, upper and lower cases, numerals and symbols in the passwords increase, it becomes more difficult for the AI tool to decode it. As per the recent analysis, passwords with 15 characters or longer with sophisticated combinations of alphabets, numerals and symbols, PassGAN would take up to 14 billion years to crack.
To make sure that your accounts remain secure, it is advised to use longer and more complex passwords with different combinations of uppercase and lowercase alphabets, numerals and symbols. Also, users should refrain from using the same password for multiple accounts and repeat changing the passwords frequently. It is important to exercise caution and remain vigilant about the latest advancements in the AI world and also understand their potential for harm to be able to protect themselves from them.
Microsoft-Owned OpenAI is focused on building responsible AI technologies. Recently, it has offered up to $20,000 for those who can find security flaws in its AI chatbot ChatGPT. Additionally, Tecno has launched its foldable phone Phantom V Fold, priced at an unbelievable rate.
Therefore, with all these advancements in the Artificial Intelligence (AI), it is often hard to keep up with the rapidly changing world and remain protected against AI-enabled hacking. To make sure that your accounts are completely secured, follow the aforementioned tips and guidelines diligently.