Millions Of Microsoft Users Are Reusing Windows Passwords | DSM

 

Isn't password reuse one of the biggest cyber threats that the world has been facing for so many years? Password reuse has indeed become a global threat, and this particular cyber threat is something that is not protected by Microsoft. It is true that there are millions of users of Microsoft, and they have been taking an unnecessary risk by reusing their password credentials. According to the data that Microsoft has been able to get, we found that so many users are using those password credentials which have already been stolen.

This security breach is happening online, and it will be very difficult for the users to protect themselves in this situation. One analysis has come from the Redmond software giant, and according to that analysis, there are more than 44 million users who have used passwords and usernames which are compromised, and this has happened only in 2021 between January and March.

If the users have already used passwords, Microsoft cannot help the users solve their problems, and they may be at risk of losing their data since their passwords and usernames have already been stolen. There is no version of any server such as Windows Server 2008 Standard that can help in the protection of the passwords of the users because the users are not using username and passwords carefully.

As mentioned above, more than 44 million users saw themselves at risk in terms of their passwords and usernames getting stolen; this database came when Microsoft came to know that more than 3 billion credentials got leaked. There are different sources from which the database came, and Microsoft got the database from law enforcement as well as public databases. There are some new accounts of the users who have gone through the process of scanning, and by this process as well, Microsoft has got this database.

Scanning is the process by which Microsoft was able to see the used credentials which were available in different online services. Forty-four million login credentials include Azure AD accounts as well as regular user accounts.

Microsoft also said that for the login credentials, we always ask the users for a reset because there is no additional action required, and this is the only way by which the users can protect themselves. Microsoft can also do one more thing, and this will include that the users will get the alert so that they may go through the process of resetting their credentials.

When we talk about the policy of Microsoft, it has got a stringent password policy, and it always makes it clear to the users to set two-factor authentication which will be very hard for any wrongdoer to steal the login credentials of the users. Irrespective of all these actions, even if a user has a very strong password and if that password is being used somewhere else, then definitely there will be a breach of the services, and in this matter, Microsoft cannot do anything.

Microsoft also analyzed that if there is poor password hygiene which can include the serial number characters such as “123456....” or the password which is used various commonly such as “let’s meet tomorrow," there will be a high chance of data breaches and credentials will be easy for the cybercriminals to steal.

 

How to save your passwords from getting stolen?

If you are one of those Microsoft users who are very much careful about the protection of usernames and passwords, it becomes imperative for you to understand the technicality of Microsoft and windows.

• You should always make your password so strong as it will be difficult for any of the persons to guess even a few letters of your password.

• You shouldn't share your password with any of your colleagues unless there's an emergency, and in that case, once you share, it becomes important for you to change it as soon as possible after the work is done.

• Many cybercriminals have been using Microsoft credentials for doing so many illegal activities. This comes under cybercrime, for which the real owner of the credentials gets caught, and to save yourself from such things, make your passwords strong and protect them by using all the possible steps of password protection.

• Using multifactor authentication is one of the greatest ways which can help protect your username and password credentials as they verify the users in two to three different ways.

• Whenever you get the availability of biometrics to protect your password, you should always go through it as it will help you protect your password in a very systematic manner.

• You should never use the same password for various accounts that you may own because using the same passwords means you're just taking unnecessary risks, and there's a high chance that your username and password credentials will get stolen.

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Source URL:- https://mdigitalsoftware.medium.com/millions-of-microsoft-users-are-reusing-windows-passwords-dsm-f28df01446dc