As a cyber intelligence analyst, I’ve had access to breaches, leaked databases, and attack vectors that most users can’t even imagine. I’ve seen entire organizations fall due to a single weak password, digital identities shattered in seconds, and time and time again the weakest link is always the same: the password.
The False Sense of Security
Many users think their password is safe because it includes a number, a symbol, or their dog’s name and a year. From an attacker’s perspective, that password is candy.
With tools like Hashcat, it’s possible to crack passwords of up to 10 characters in mere minutes—even if they seem “complex.”
Why 14 Characters?
Fourteen characters aren’t magical, but they represent a threshold of resistance that makes an attacker’s job exponentially harder. In audits and Red Team exercises, passwords of 12 characters or fewer are often the first to fall. From 14 onwards, entropy becomes a wall.
Each additional character multiplies the time it takes to crack. This isn’t theory—it’s math applied to digital crime. With added randomness, a 14-character password can withstand even AI-powered attacks or future quantum computing threats.
Reuse: The classic mistake
In cyber intelligence, we handle massive amounts of leaked data. The overlap between personal and professional passwords is alarming. Many APT groups (Advanced Persistent Threats) rely on this very strategy. A data leak from years ago can open the door to a modern server.
If you’re not using unique, random passwords for each service, you’re handing over your digital life.
Proton Pass: More than a password manager a defensive line
I’ve tested nearly every password manager on the market: LastPass, Bitwarden, 1Password… Some fail on privacy, others on security or on principles.
Proton Pass, from the team behind Proton Mail, is hosted in Switzerland, is open source, and applies real end-to-end encryption.
I recommend it because:
- It doesn’t store data in plain text
- It doesn’t track the user
- It allows you to use email aliases
- It doesn’t rely on closed systems
- It doesn’t share data with third parties
For those of us who work with sensitive information, this is vital. For the average user, it’s a powerful extra layer of protection.
Conclusion
As a cyber intelligence expert, I have no doubt: if you care about your privacy, every password should be at least 14 characters long. And you should use a password manager that won’t betray you.