Passwords keep your online accounts safe from hackers, but not if they’re easy to guess. Today’s cybercriminals study the latest trends and know what it takes to crack your code.
Curious as to how your passwords measure up? Read on to see if yours made the naughty list and learn how to protect yourself from hackers.
Spill the tea
A recent study examined data from multiple sources and over 6 million breached passwords to find the worst offenders. Hacked passwords were then sorted into 25 different categories.
Results showed over 1.5 million passwords were eight characters or less. Almost 30% use 12 characters or less. The most popular hacked passwords used all lowercase letters.
Here’s the top 10 list of the most hacked password categories:
- Nicknames/terms of endearment: King, rose, love
- TV show characters
- TV shows
- Colors
- Fashion brands
- Cities
- Countries
- Movies
- Body parts
- Car brands
Don’t call me “sweetie”
If your online banking password shares the same cutesy name you call your spouse when no one’s listening, you might want to change it. Terms of endearment like “king,” “rose” and “love” were high on the easily breached list.
Pet’s names, swear words and video game characters weren’t far behind. Sports, football teams and superheroes were in the top 20. You better think twice before logging in as “Batman.”
Speaking of video games, the characters Joel and Ellie from the hit PlayStation game The Last of Us made it into gamers’ passwords over 14,000 times. Are you a fan of The Legend of Zelda? Over 17,000 breached passwords contained the main character Link’s name.
Using your favorite musical artist isn’t exactly a safe bet either, especially if it’s Dr. Dre. The rap mogul’s name appeared in more than 16,000 passwords, making up a whopping 83.7% of the musical artist password category.
Keep it locked down
Changing your passwords can be a real pain, but way worth it. Here are some essential do’s and don’ts to stay secure online:
Do
- Create a long password that’s 12 to 16 characters.
- Use a mix of letters, numbers and special characters or symbols. Throw in a range of upper and lowercase letters for extra protection.
- Use a password manager like LastPass for safe storage. Bonus: It’ll also remember your passwords for you.
- Use multi-factor authentication (at least two-factor) to make it harder for hackers to access your info.
- If you think your password has been compromised, change it ASAP.
Don’t
- Save your passwords to your web browser. Others who use (or steal) your devices could access your info.
- Use personal info when creating your password.
- Use easy-to-guess sequences of numbers or letters.
- Use the same password for multiple accounts. This could be like handing over the keys to the kingdom.
- Share your password with others (duh).
Remember: Cybercriminals are always one step ahead when it comes to scams. If you use a password manager, this article explains how to keep it safe from hackers.