Password theft can not only cost you time and nerves, but also cause financial damage. So take a few simple measures now before it becomes painful.
Artificial intelligence (AI) has long been on everyone's lips, and this is also reflected in the area of cybercrime. Cyber criminals are increasingly relying on AI to crack weak passwords in a matter of seconds. However, the online security behavior of many users is quite the opposite, as figures from the recently published Cybersecurity Monitor 2025 by the German Federal Office for Information Security show. Despite the growing threat, more and more people in Germany are foregoing protective measures such as two-factor authentication (2FA): Only around 34% still use 2FA, a decrease of 8% compared to 2023 - regression instead of progress at the wrong time.
The result? Millions of private accounts remain vulnerable. More specifically: Your email, shopping or cloud account can also be hacked in seconds without you even realizing it. At first glance, password security can seem cumbersome - which is why many people put the issue off or simply underestimate the danger posed by lax password management. Yet a higher level of security for your own access data could often be achieved in just a few steps. After all, password theft can cost you dearly.
In the following, we will show you how you can effectively protect yourself against digital attacks in just a few simple steps without having to become an IT professional.
- Rely on long passphrases instead of short, complex character strings.
Long passphrases, such as "coffee-chocolate-jupiter-sparkling", are easier to remember and at the same time much harder to crack than short, supposedly complex character strings. This is because the length of a password is really decisive for its security: even with twelve characters with upper and lower case letters and numbers, it currently takes around 2000 years to crack it, and this time increases exponentially with each additional character. A minimum of 15 characters is therefore recommended for optimum protection in everyday life. However, experts advise against regularly changing passwords without a concrete incident that suggests the existing password has been compromised.
- Use a separate password for each service.
A widespread risk is the reuse of passwords across multiple services. If one of them is compromised, other accounts are automatically at risk too. A single hijacked password can not only threaten your streaming account, but also your online banking or even your digital identity. Many online platforms and password managers now automatically detect whether a password has already appeared in a data leak or is used too frequently and warn the user if this is the case. This prevents the use of an insecure or compromised password that can be easily cracked by AI-supported attacks. In this way, an "infection" caused by the continued use of an already compromised password can be contained.
- Work with a password manager.
Long passwords are difficult to remember, especially if another one is added with every service you use. A password manager can help here: modern password managers have integrated password generators that automatically generate strong, unique passwords. This prevents weak or AI-prone passwords from being created; users only have to remember a single master password. In addition, most password managers issue a warning if passwords are reused or leaked. It is important to choose a trustworthy provider here: make sure that the password manager, such as DSwiss, works with a zero-knowledge structure. This means that - as with a physical safe deposit box - even the provider has no access to the stored data; only you have the key. End-to-end encryption and storage should take place within Europe and the provider should not process any data for advertising purposes. Depending on usage, it is worth using a platform-independent password manager that can be used on different devices - for example, on a Windows PC and an Apple smartphone. This way, all accesses remain secure and available across all devices.
- Use two-factor authentication.
Two-factor authentication remains an essential component of IT security - and a way to ensure greater security quickly and without great effort. Phishing-proof methods such as passkeys, biometric authentication or physical security keys according to the FIDO/U2F standard are particularly recommended and may be relevant depending on the use case. Barrier-free 2FA solutions with multi-device support that are now established also improve use for people with disabilities.
- Check your accounts regularly.
Trust is good, control is better - at least when it comes to protecting your passwords. Online databases such as "Have I Been Pwned" can be used to quickly determine whether your own access data has already appeared in a leak. If this is the case, affected passwords should be changed immediately and compromised accounts should be additionally protected. Deleting inactive accounts and using a separate email address for password recovery also helps to increase your own level of security.
The bottom line is: password security doesn't have to be a hassle. With just a few additional measures, you can create more security for your digital access in everyday life. It only becomes difficult when accesses are not adequately protected and are subsequently compromised - then the consequences can quickly become painful.
