Password-hacking More Common than You, or Palin, May Think

Wired is reporting that the FBI and Secret Service have begun coordinating a probe into how the Republican vice presidential nominee's quasi-personal/private email account on Yahoo was compromised and private messages posted on mega blogs including Gawker.com.

Over the past several days, our Test Center has noticed renewed password-based assaults on our trap network. On Wednesday, we witnessed attempts to break into our SQL Server database by what appears to be a random password generator.

According to a report by the Test Center's Fahmida Y. Rashid and Samara Lynn:

The hackers never did find their way into the Test Center's SQL Server database, but it was not for lack of trying.

Once hacking tools - - like random password generators - - make it into the underground marketplace, it's only a matter of time before someone who is enterprising and has a less-than-ethical intention can pay cash for them and start putting them to use.

It's unclear just how Palin's email was compromised, but it's not beyond the imagination to think that password-hacking may have played a key role.

The lesson? Stay one step ahead of the hackers - - and random password generators- - and come up with a system for making your passwords tough to beat.