Now that we live in a digital age where we have a million different online accounts, from Amazon and eBay to banking and email, it’s more crucial than ever to be cybersafe.
One easy and important way to do this is to use strong passwords and make it harder for potential hackers to commit cybercrime.
Even though this may sound obvious, many people still have the ‘it won’t happen to me’ attitude and opt for simple, hackable passwords – mainly so they are easy to remember. In fact, the same password is often used across many different accounts, making it even easier for hackers to gain access to them all.
Enter the annual list of ‘Worst Passwords of the Year,’ a useful guide that reminds us what not to do when trying to protect our personal information and data online.
SplashData, the password management provider, created the list for 2017 by compiling data from five million leaked passwords from users in North America and Western Europe. Here they are…
10 worst passwords of 2017
1. 123456
2. Password
3. 12345678
4. Qwerty
5. 12345
6. 123456789
7. Letmein
8. 1234567
9. Football
10. Iloveyou
If you use one of these passwords, or something similarly simple, then it might be time to change it. Read the advice below on how to pick a better password…
Tips on how to choose a stronger password
It’s best to use at least 12 characters
Combine upper and lowercase letters and symbols
Don’t use personal information or commonly used words
Do not use the same password for different accounts
Include symbols, such as $,?,% @, in sporadic places
Though these new passwords might be more tricky to remember, they’ll keep you much safer from a cyberattack.
