Specops show how to protect data from password attacks

• Practical tips for dictionary, brute force and pass-the-hash attacks
• Author Derek Melber, Microsoft MVP
• Best practice for creating secure passwords

Stockholm, Sweden – June 2, 2014. Specops Software announced today the release of a new white paper in the follow up of recent password attacks. The paper is written by Derek Melber, a renowned security expert and Microsoft MVP.

The white paper, A Practical Guide to Protecting Passwords and Your Data, explains the simple methodology of the dictionary attack, as well as the complex algorithms needed to complete a brute force or pass-the-hash attack. In addition to providing an understanding of the threats, the paper also gives best practices for setting secure passwords.

“A Practical Guide to Protecting Passwords and Your Data is an important resource for anyone who is interested in security and, more specifically, for people working in IT who are responsible for information security for an entire organization,” says Marcus Kaber, CEO of Specops Software. “Password security is at the heart of what we do as a software company, and we believe strongly in helping to educate the industry on how to protect their own and their company’s data.”

The author of the white paper, Derek Melber, is a Microsoft MVP and author of more than 15 books on Windows Active Directory, security and auditing Windows. He is often consulted on general security issues and security in Windows environments more specifically.

Derek Melber says: “This paper comes at a great time as the general public is much more aware of security risks of password attacks today than ever before. Understanding how the attacks work is important, but so is choosing a password that negates as many types of password attacks as possible.”

While the different password attacks each have their own counter methods to thwart the attacks, Melber advises restricting the use of local administrative rights and allowing passphrases as general good practice for password security. The paper also highlights many useful resources for learning more about protecting data from password attacks.