A password generator is a tool used to automatically generate a random strong password based on standard password guidelines. While manually generated passwords often contain people's names, birthdays, and predictable personal keywords, auto-generated passwords tend to include a random combination complex, non-personal phrases or codes, which makes these passwords impossible to crack using brute-force or dictionary techniques. Additionally, these tools help generate unique passwords for every requirement, thereby avoiding the reuse of old passwords.
Passwords are both the core of security and one of the greatest threats to your organization. They're always at the front line of a powerful cyber defence mechanism. When the importance of a strong password is ignored or when passwords are compromised, it poses a major security threat that can result in hefty fines and damage to your brand's reputation. In fact, weak passwords have been the primary reason behind some of world's most infamous data breaches.
Cybercriminals use sophisticated password-hacking techniques, such as brute-force, phishing, and dictionary attacks, to exploit organizations and gain unfair advantage over them. Weak passwords are not just a lucrative target, but are also the easiest way to gain access to privileged corporate accounts.
To create a strong password is the first step towards securing privileged accounts. Impossible-to-crack passwords generally follow the standard best practices, which include long, complex characters (numbers, symbols, and letters). Given that an person uses 70-80 passwords on an average, remembering each and every complex password not only requires an eidetic memory, but also demands considerable effort to change them periodically, so as to safeguard their personal data from guess attempts. While a password like "password" is weak and vulnerable, passwords such as "xYDDZ$]pfqwerty123!&*~qUEeN!O" are almost impossible to remember for the average user.
Now, imagine this at the enterprise level, where hundreds of thousands of passwords need to be generated periodically: manual generation and management of such passwords is a painstaking task, and one oversight is all it takes to be at the center of a massive data breach.
Fortunately, password generation tools can solve this problem. Here's how.
Password generators are designed not only to eliminate weak, vulnerable passwords, but also to help in complying with password policies and privacy standards. The following are the top benefits of automated password generators.
Password generators use advanced algorithms to ensure that these passwords are specifically created to meet the standard security requirements, such as using a combination of letters, numbers, and special characters. As a result, these tools use random and powerful combinations of characters to avoid any repetition.
Besides generating strong passwords based on set polices and guidelines, password generators also allow users to generate master passwords to provide additional security to other crucial passwords. Generated passwords are usually stored in encrypted databases, and only privileged users have access to such repositories. Additionally, these tools aid in periodic auto-generation of fresh sets of strong passwords upon expiration of the old ones.
For further safety, users can leverage password management tools to manage and share account credentials without disclosing passwords in plain-text format. Password managers also provide multi-factor authentication options to further secure accounts from falling into the hands of unauthorized users.
Many password generators are coupled with password management software that provide auto-login options to access privileged systems and applications, thereby eliminating the need for submitting credentials manually. As a result, users can generate the most complex random passwords to secure shared sensitive information without having to memorize any of them.
Usage of strong passwords allows secure access to business critical resources and prevents threat actors from laterally entering an enterprise infrastructure by exploiting them.
A password generator works in accordance to the password policy set within an organization to generate unique passwords and grant secure access to privileged resources. These passwords are usually a combination of alphanumeric characters and symbols.