The Top 25 List of Easy-to-Hack Passwords
As Evidence Solutions, Inc., (ESI) is very security-oriented, it amazes our Computer Forensics and Security Experts that computer users are still using very simple passwords, especially with all of the hacking that is happening in the world. Use of simple passwords is an epidemic that needs to be cured. Perhaps users are just not interested in having strong passwords or perhaps they are lazy. Either way, users need to wake up to the fact that stronger passwords are much better at protecting their data.
Recently SplashData, Inc., released its annual list of the top 25 most common passwords found on the Internet complied. SplashData, based in Los Gatos California, researched more than 3.3 million leaked passwords during 2014. The passwords were used by people in North America and Western Europe.
Simple number patterns, sports, names and swear words are common among the top 25:
- 123456
- password
- 12345
- 12345678
- qwerty
- 1234567890
- 1234
- baseball
- dragon
- football
- 1234567
- monkey
- letmein
- abc123
- 111111
- mustang
- access
- shadow
- master
- michael
- superman
- 696969
- 123123
- batman
- trustno1
If you see one of your passwords in the list, please change it to a password that uses at least 8 characters. Your new password should include letters, numbers and symbols. Use a different password for each account that you have. And if you are one of those people who needs help remembering passwords, consider using a password manager that will store all of your passwords.
Disclosure: SplashData actually creates and sells a password manager.
Evidence Solutions, Inc. has policies and procedures that can be used as a template for company policies. If you require more details or help in setting up security policies, Evidence Solutions is here to help.
Evidence Solutions' Data Breach Experts believe that everyone is responsible for security.
