How to gain access to your networks devices and how to keep your passwords secure
Are you trying to gain access to your network device and can't find the default password to login?
You're in luck! We came across an extensive list of default usernames and passwords for many different devices (like routers, switches, firewalls, and other network devices) and we want to share it with you!
Many network devices arrive with factory settings and a default username and password. Most, if not all, of this information can be found on the web with a quick search. This is why you should always, always, always change the factory settings, especially if you want to keep yourself protected from malicious attacks. Attacks can range from key loggers to steal your credit card information to viruses that eventually make your computer completely not useable.
I remember an article I read a few years back where a man asked and received permission from a lady to try to gain access to her bank account. He started out searching for her name on the web and found her email address among other information like her birthday. He used this to attempt to get into her bank. Usually, if you forget your password, there is an option to send yourself a password reset email. He attempted to log into the email too many times and it eventually asked for a security question, which he found the answer to online. Now that he had access to her email he could change her password. Voila, he now had access to her bank account, much to her shock.
We don't want that to happen to you, so we want to share with you some tips on how to keep your account secure. This won't just apply to network devices, but to every other thing on the web that requires you to create a password.
- Keep it as random as possible. Don't use words.
- If you're using words, throw in some numbers, capital letters, and symbols. (for example, '4' in place of 'A' and and '!' instead of 'I')
- The longer it is, the better.
- For security questions, don't answer with information that can be found just by looking up your name on Google. For example, "In what year did I graduate high school?" Don't answer the year posted on your FaceBook page. It's easy for others to find this information. Instead, type in something different, like the year your partner or your parents graduated. Change some random characters while you're at it.
- If you can, use different passwords for different accounts.
- If you have multiple email accounts and the email settings allow this option, try to send hackers in a cycle. For example, A sends password reset/confirmation to B, which sends it to C, which sends it back to A, and so on, never allowing them to log in.
Here's a really good article that goes more in depth on how to keep yourself secure.
