This is the final part of the password series.
Part 1 – 6 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Choosing a Password
Part 2 – How to Make a Strong Password
Part 3 – How to Test and Protect Your Password
In spite of all the information available to computer users about the importance of having a secured password, a lot of of people still find themselves at risk to security attacks such as identity theft and fraud because they use names, dictionary words, slangs or flimsy passwords from a limited group of keyboard characters such as consecutive digits or adjacent keyboard keys.
A recent study by data security expert Imperva reveals that around 50% of people fall into the category described above whilst also using the same (or very similar) password for all their online accounts. The study also lists the 10 most commonly used passwords, which should be avoided by all means, as follows.
- 123456
- 12345
- 123456789
- Password
- iloveyou
- princess
- rockyou
- 1234567
- 12345678
- abc123
Although choosing the right password may seem like a difficult task, the fact that it is our personal information and security that is at stake means that we must take time out to do so and avoid falling victims of cyber attacks. This means that password security must be taken seriously and the right steps must be followed (as discussed in this series) to ensure our safety.
Talking Point
How long did it take you to come up with your most important password?
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Greg Henderson 
Sarah Goodluck 
Chris Marentis 
Sachin Kr 
Laura Goede 
LOL. I can’t believe people actually use those passwords. I guess people just really think it could never happen to them.
Too simple to be used as password, a good password should a combination of upper case, lower case, signs and number.
I’m currently using the open source program Keepass. It is secured (even in memory!) with a master password, it generates and stores passwords for you. To secure this I’m using a pass sentence.
I’ve been using only one password ever since the first email account that I signed up for. It proved very secure. I try not to change passwords too much because I easily forget.