Passwords are the foundations of our digital identity, which makes them rich targets for cyber criminals. With the right password, a hacker can accomplish all sorts of nefarious tasks, including theft, fraud and impersonation. So how exactly do hackers manage to make off with our passwords, and what can be done to stop them?
In this episode, we discuss the methods - both simple and complex - that cyber criminals can employ to pilfer our credentials, including data breaches, watering hole attacks and social engineering, as well as how you can safeguard yourself against falling victim.
Footnotes
- The IT Pro Podcast Special Edition: Fighting password compromise
- The top 12 password-cracking techniques used by hackers
- What is phishing?
- 10 quick tips to identifying phishing emails
- What are you giving away on social media?
- The IT Pro Podcast: The psychology of security
- Have I Been Pwned: Check if your email has been compromised in a data breach
- LastPass hacked - what you should do
- What is two-factor authentication?
- Simplify cluster security at scale
- The IT Pro Podcast: The secret life of hackers
- How to check if your passwords have been stolen
- If not passwords then what?
- 4 quick tips to create an unbreakable password
- Apple releases open source tools for password manager developers
- HTTP vs HTTPS: What difference does it make to security?
- Most malware came through HTTPS connections in Q1 2020
- Wikipedia: John Titor
Subscribe
- Subscribe to The IT Pro Podcast on Apple Podcasts
- Subscribe to The IT Pro Podcast on Google Podcasts
- Subscribe to The IT Pro Podcast on Spotify
- Subscribe to the IT Pro newsletter
- Subscribe to IT Pro 20/20
Sign up today and you will receive a free copy of our Future Focus 2026 report - the leading resource for IT decision-maker insight on priorities and investment areas in AI, security and more.
ITPro is a global business technology website providing the latest news, analysis, and business insight for IT decision-makers. Whether it's cyber security, cloud computing, IT infrastructure, or business strategy, we aim to equip leaders with the data they need to make informed IT investments.
For regular updates delivered to your inbox and social feeds, be sure to sign up to our daily newsletter and follow on us LinkedIn and Twitter.
-
Broadcom eyes security, performance boosts with vDefend and Avi Load Balancer updatesNews Enhancements to VMware vDefend and VMware Avi Load Balancer use AI-powered automation to help secure private cloud environments
-
How business leaders are using the Dell Pro 7 and Dell Pro 5Sponsored Thanks to flexibility and a range of spec options, the Dell Pro 7 and Pro 5 laptops can suit a variety of business leaders across a mix of workplaces
-
1Password teams up with Anthropic to give Claude access to your credentialsNews A new ‘zero-exposure’ security framework allows agents to use stored credentials in the 1Password vault
-
We need to do something about passwordsPasswords are a fundamental aspect of access security, but recent password leaks have undermined their ability to protect data
-
Dashlane lifts the lid on attack that saw hackers download encrypted user vaultsNews The company said it has now informed all affected customers, and taken action to shut down the operation
-
The NCSC says it’s time to switch to passkeysNews UK security organization calls for companies to step up and offer more secure ways to login
-
AI agents are creating new identity security risks: 1Password wants to solve thatNews The Unified Access system from 1Password will help enterprises manage AI agent access across different devices and users
-
Using AI to generate passwords is a terrible idea, experts warnNews Researchers have warned the use of AI-generated passwords puts users and businesses at risk
-
Researchers called on LastPass, Dashlane, and Bitwarden to up defenses after severe flaws put 60 million users at risk – here’s how each company respondedNews Analysts at ETH Zurich called for cryptographic standard improvements after a host of password managers were found lacking
-
Thousands of exposed civil servant passwords are up for grabs onlineNews While the password security failures are concerning, they pale in comparison to other nations