Keeping your passwords confidential is as important as locking your door before leaving the house, or securing your debit PIN number. With the multitude of sensitive data now being stored in password-protected online accounts, it’s time to check how well you’re securing your important information.
First, make sure that none of the passwords you use are on the annual list of Worst Passwords, put together by SplashData. Every year, SplashData compiles the most commonly used passwords on the internet, and even though knowing not to use these passwords should be common knowledge, the same passwords end up ranking every year.
- 123456
- password
- 12345678
- qwerty
- 12345
- 123456789
- football
- 1234
- 1234567
- baseball
- welcome
- 1234567890
- Abc123
- 11111
- 1qaz2wsx
- dragon
- master
- monkey
- letmein
- login
- princess
- qwertyuiop
- solo
- passw0rd
- starwars
If you one of your passwords on this list, change it immediately.
These are the most commonly used passwords, and potential hackers know that. They will be the first ones they try when attempting to hack into your account.
If you think some of your passwords are lackluster, here are some guidelines on writing strong, secure passwords:
- Avoid using dictionary words.
- Use at least 12 characters, including upper case letters, lower case letters, numbers and symbols (@%*).
- Use different passwords for different websites. If one website password gets compromised, this will ensure your other information is safe.
At Vortex, our clients’ security is our top priority. We issue strong passwords and offer two factor authentication on all of our websites. The best cyber defense is a tough password!
For more information, contact your web security team at Vortex Business Solutions.