We've published several times warnings from security experts about the dangers of choosing simple and easy passwords, but according to the data, many people choose exactly these passwords to protect their online accounts.
SplashData SplashDatacreated the list by analyzing information from more than 3.3 million passwords collected from data released by hackers in 2014.
The codes “Password” and “123456” continue to be at the top of the list, while for some unknown reason, the “strong” code “12345” took third place
It should be noted that all three passwords are extremely easy to crack and can be cracked very quickly. Even if alphanumeric characters were added, a Brute Force attack could reveal them very quickly.
Mixing numbers, letters, and symbols can create a strong password for you, especially if you use a lot of characters. The problem with these passwords, however, is that they are very difficult to remember.
The list published by SplashData contains several passwords such as: “baseball,” “dragon,” “football,” “mustang,” “access,” “master,” “michael,” “superman,” “696969,” and “batman.” Don’t be fooled, none of these are any more secure than the first three. In a Brute Force attack, they are still among the first that the software will automatically try.
A large array of varying characters requires more effort and time to crack, thus discouraging the hacker. But who can remember these passwords?
Especially if you have a lot of online accounts, and you don't want to use the same password everywhere, the problem grows. One solution is password management software that usually comes with a built-in password generator. There are several such applications available today, both free and paid. If you are in the process of choosing an application, make sure it is from a reputable company.
