Accept it – you are guilty of setting a ridiculous password the first time you opened an email ID or a social media account. It was either ‘iloveyou’ or ‘password’ or your birth date – basically something which was super easy to crack. However, nowadays it is important for people to have a password which can actually ensure the security of their accounts.
According to The Hindu, commonly used passwords take less than a second for cybercriminals to crack. Which is why nearly 20 million cyberattacks have taken place in 2020 alone!
In a report, NordPass listed the most commonly used passwords of 2020 and for people to use it in such a time when awareness regarding data breach is optimum is more concerning than it is hilarious.
The password which topped the list is of course ‘123456’ which had more than 2.5 million users. This was followed by ‘123456789’, ‘picture1’, ‘password’, ‘12345678’, and ‘111111’. Passwords like ‘iloveyou’, ‘princess’, ‘sunshine’, ‘dragon’, ‘football’, and ‘Pokemon’ too made the list.
It has been advised that the words which have made the list should be refrained from using if one wants to protect themselves from cyberattacks and data breach. You may view the full list here.
In addition to that, using a single password across different accounts can help cyber criminals access sensitive information like credit card and bank details.
The best way to ensure a safer password is to not use birth dates, name, and contact details. Instead, a combination password – a mix of uppercase, lowercase, and symbols – is a better option.
Afterall, it is better to be safe than sorry!
Cover image: source.