2010-01-17, 02:15 AM
When you're converting your passwords into hashes, make sure you're generating the hashes on your own computer, meaning you're not calling upon a function on the website providing the service. Javascript-ran program is ideal, only if you know the source is 'trustworthy' and is not storing your inquiry somewhere. Bottom line is, make your password full-length (10 characters), combined lower case, upper case and symbols. (Yes, they allow you to use *,^,%,' and such) Checking your hash is good because it shows if "weak passwords" are correlated to the takeover of accounts. Weak in the sense that it can be easily matched up or reversed looked up in this case, not just the illegibility of the segment itself. If you still get hacked after this, then I'm sorry, something else is broken. MD5 is practically broken already, it's just that new standards have not yet been set and found. So sit tight, and keep a close eye on the whole issue.