In traversing the virtual wonderland of the world wide web, we often have to identify ourselves in order to make full use of all that it has to offer, exposing ourselves and our identities. Our biggest safeguard against someone taking advantage of the trust and faith we must place in those websites is our password.
Because we need passwords for so many things, it is tempting to use the same password over and over, and if it’s something easy to remember, even better, right? Employing this method couldn’t be more wrong. If your password is weak, it can hardly defend you against attacks.
In December 2010, the Gawker Media network fell victim to a hack resulting in security breaches at several websites under its umbrella. The usernames, email addresses and passwords of its 1.3 million users were posted online for all to see. While this incident demonstrates how defenses can be violated, it also provides a unique look into what people feel qualifies as a password.
Let’s find out if any of yours make the Top 10 List:
- 123456 (2,516 users chose this!!)
- password (2,188 users)
- 12345678 (1,205 users)
- qwerty (696 users)
- abc123 (498 users)
- 12345 (459 users)
- monkey (441 users)
- 111111 (413 users)
- consumer (385 users)
- letmein (376 users)
4,180 users chose a password that begins with “12345”! Wow! And does a password get any less secure than “password”? And what’s with “monkey”? It may be random, but it’s certainly not secure!
Compile a list (written on paper, not stored on your computer) of all the sites you visit or actions you perform online that require a password to access – whether it’s Facebook, managing your bank account, using a VPN connection, buying something on eBay, or posting a book review at Barnes & Noble. Are any of your passwords on the list above? If so, change them NOW! Don’t be afraid to get creative. Test your new passwords at How Secure Is My Password to see if they make the grade.
Do you tend to use the same password for everything or have multiple passwords you rely on?
Further Reading:
Length vs. Complexity: The Great Password Debate Rages On
Amanda Mili
Your Business, By Design
Ottawa, Ontario – Serving Canada and the U.S.
email: [email protected]
website: www.amandamili.com