

Interestingly, one of the more common connections involves re-using or recycling passwords across multiple accounts.Īnd yes, hackers get their passwords compromised at the same rate as the rest of us. The long-running Breadcrumbs series here tracks how cybercriminals get caught, and it’s mostly through odd connections between their online and offline selves scattered across the Internet. In a world in which all databases - including hacker forums - are eventually compromised and leaked online, it can be tough for cybercriminals to maintain their anonymity if they’re in the habit of re-using the same unusual passwords across multiple accounts associated with different email addresses. Our passwords can say a lot about us, and much of what they have to say is unflattering.

When cybercriminals develop the same habit, it can eventually cost them their freedom. When normal computer users fall into the nasty habit of recycling passwords, the result is most often some type of financial loss.
