For instance, a password made of 13 numbers would take the graphics cards 3 years to crack, but add in just one more number and that rises to 28 years, then add another and it rises to 284.

If the password is strong enough, the hash can’t usually be cracked, since the more secure a password is, the more difficult it is to crack.

What’s to be done? The Password Hashing Competition is the brainchild of a group of leading security and cryptography experts, including some leading figures in the online password cracking scene.

The data that was released were password hashes, or cryptographic representations of passwords churned through an algorithm called SHA-1.

Rainbow tables are password cracking tools with origins dating back to research from the early 1980s. Here's how they work and why they haven't stood the test of time.

Hackers can crack weak passwords in seconds, while strong ones may take years. Learn about the time to crack your password and boost security.

Passwords continue to be the primary target of cybercriminals because they represent the “keys to your kingdom”, especially when it comes to your email.

Some of today's passwords take significantly longer to crack, thanks to new hashing algorithms that bolster security.

Other password hacking techniques Brute force is just one of many methods hackers use to crack passwords, which is why it’s so important to use a different long password for each of your online ...

The Data Doctors’ Ken Colburn walks you through common techniques hackers use to crack passwords, and how you can protect yourself.