Password purgatory
I often forget my passwords. Remembering long and complicated strings of characters is a problem for me. I have so many passwords for various applications, devices and operating systems. Not only the required complexity of password construction, but the increased number of passwords that I must keep track of in my daily digital world can be staggering. For security and privacy, I am struggling daily to regain some control over my password’s structures. Passwords have progressed from a security purpose to a security liability, at least for me.
To reset the passwords, the options can be daunting. I try to set my passwords using a certain system that I can readily remember. Even then, I forget the updated passwords when I have to add a special character because it was required. I wrote them in one special file then I forgot where I put it.
Changing passwords frequently is necessary to prevent cyberattacks, according to my husband. Frankly speaking, I do not like this requirement for changing passwords, so I keep reusing the same password. It does not work at all. I wonder whether we could function without passwords at all these days.
I read that ransomware has emerged as a significant cybersecurity threat, affecting individuals, businesses and even governments worldwide. One specific group that gained notoriety for ransomware is Rhysida. They use sophisticated malware that can have had a profound impact on the average person, causing financial losses, data breaches and disruptions to daily life.
Rhysida operates as a type of malicious software designed to encrypt a victim's files or systems, rendering them inaccessible. Perpetrators then demand a ransom, usually in cryptocurrency, in exchange for providing the decryption key. This form of cyber extortion has become increasingly prevalent due to its potential for high profits and the relative anonymity offered by cryptocurrencies.
Before my retirement, I relied on our university’s IT department for cybersecurity. Whenever I got an email warning from the IT office not to open any attachments due to the email compromise attacks, I complied without much thinking. They did a respectable job, and I never experienced any of my contacts directory being compromised.
Then it all changed early last August. A medical center where I was doing consulting work was hit by a ransomware attack on the day I arrived. The staff informed me that patients’ data was inaccessible, and all other operational office systems were affected and were inaccessible. The ransomware attacker demanded millions of dollars paid upfront in exchange for providing a decryption key to unlock the file systems. How insidious the impact of this ransomware attack was!
The media reported later that the attack was traced to members Rhysida, originating from Russia or other bad actor states. Government systems, education and the health care industry were all affected. The malware extracted patients’ personal data, images and health records, and threatened the target by saying that they would expose it all unless the payment was made. I cannot imagine the dilemma the administration and high-ranking officials must have faced with this threat.
I felt foolish in thinking that cyberattacks or email phishing scams would only happen to other people. Not me! Until you are directly affected by the malware! The disruption and its impact are real. What options are left for the victims? What could have been done to mitigate this unforeseen disaster? The impact of cyberattacks cannot be underestimated.
Meanwhile, I heard that the medical center eventually paid the ransom as demanded. I feel sorry for myself for not yet getting paid for the work I did for this medical center. I feel even greater sorrow for my employer for their misfortune. What lesson am I supposed to get from this experience? I need to remember, update and not forget my own passwords without any resistance in the coming year so that I can reduce the possibility of falling victim to a similar cyberattack. I hope you will too!
Shin Freedman (shinfreed@gmail.com) is an author, educator and writer.