Celebrate World Password Day by Battling the Thieves Who Want Your Credentials

 Password thieves are a type of malware affecting millions of users worldwide, and here’s how you can fight back. Malware is everywhere; it’s a money-making venture for countless cybercriminals who want to profit at our expense. Their job is to try to steal from us through extortion, and our job is to recognize their tactics so we can thwart their hacking attempts.

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First things first: let’s talk about password stealers. They’re the subject of this informative article in celebration of World Password Day, which takes place on May 5, 2025. As always, we remind you that the best defense against malware starts with a solid offense—in this case, installing a reliable antivirus. Our recommendation is AVG’s free option, AVG AntiVirus Free 2025.

What Are Password Thieves?

 Password thieves are a form of malware or spyware that secretly installs itself on a computer. They’re a type of Trojan that finds its way onto your system, often when someone opens the wrong email attachment or runs a program downloaded from a sketchy site.

The dangerous part is that this malware can run in the background without detection. It could be months before anyone realizes their passwords or other data have been stolen.

How Does This Malware Work?

 Password thieves capture login credentials but often seek other types of sensitive information too. The malware collects login data as you type. Running silently in the background, it gathers keystrokes and sends them to a website owned by the cybercriminal, storing all the stolen information.

How to Tell If You’ve Been Infected by a Password Stealer

 The most reliable way to spot password thieves before they do any damage is by using a powerful, up-to-date antivirus on all your devices. We recommend AVG’s lineup, especially AVG AntiVirus Free 2025.

This antivirus scans and detects the malware, placing any password stealer in quarantine (isolating and removing it from your system). It’s crucial to install antivirus software on all your computers and ensure it’s set up properly—meaning it regularly scans your devices and frequently updates its virus definitions.

Important Note: Real-time antivirus protection allows the antivirus to monitor active processes, comparing them to its malware database to detect password-stealing software right as it tries to operate.

Tips for Keeping Your Passwords Secure

 If you want to steer clear of password troubles, here are the best steps you can take in your daily routine. They’re not foolproof, but they’ll keep hackers away 99% of the time:

1. Use a Password Manager
   Store all your passwords in a reliable password management system.
   
2. Avoid Reusing Passwords
   Never use the same password for more than one account or service, even though it may seem like a hassle.
   
3. Don’t Rely on Simple Patterns
   Using the same core password everywhere but adding a single digit at the end is risky (e.g., “House1,” “House2”). It’s not a smart choice.
   
4. Get Creative with Security Questions
   For password security questions, don’t answer with your real information. Instead, type in a nonsensical or random response and record it in your password manager, noting which question goes with which answer.
   
5. Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
   If a site offers 2FA, turn it on. Even if attackers somehow get your username and password, the extra authentication layer can still keep them out.
   

There’s no guarantee of 100% safety, but these best practices can help you stay in a strong position and give you the best possible protection against password thieves.

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The Power of a Good Antivirus

 Finally, remember there’s nothing more effective than installing robust antivirus software on all your computers—software designed specifically to combat cybercriminals at every turn. We highly recommend you try AVG AntiVirus Free, which meets modern security standards, provides all the tools you need to protect your devices, and best of all, is completely free.