Artificial intelligence has undoubtedly changed our lives in many ways, providing us with innovative solutions such as Bing Chat and Bard. However, with great power comes great responsibility and we must be aware of the dark side of this technology. One of the worrying aspects of artificial intelligence is its potential abuse in password cracking. New research from cybersecurity firm Home Security Heroes highlights the alarming speed at which artificial intelligence can crack passwords.

Home Security Heroes recently published a study exploring the world of AI-powered password cracking, focusing on a tool called PassGAN (password generation network). Researchers used PassGAN to analyze a list of more than 15 million passwords and uncovered some surprising findings.

According to the research, 51% of commonly used passwords can be cracked in less than a minute, 65% in less than an hour, 71% in less than a day, and 81% in less than a month. The study found that most passwords of six digits or less were cracked almost instantly. The study shows that passwords containing at least 18 characters are considered safe against tools like PassGAN, while an 18-character password only contains numbers that take at least ten months to crack.

However, this level of security may not last long as artificial intelligence technology continues to evolve. To protect your accounts from such password cracking tools, Home Security Heroes recommends using passwords of at least 15 characters with at least two letters, numbers and symbols. It’s important to avoid predictable patterns (like “1234”) and change passwords regularly. Also, avoid using the same password for multiple accounts.

While maintaining strong passwords may seem cumbersome, it’s a small price to pay to protect your data. Use a password manager to remember complex passwords. As AI technology evolves, it’s important to stay one step ahead of potential threats and keep your online accounts safe.