World Password Day is a timely reminder that password security is a fundamental component of any successful cybersecurity strategy for both business and personal.
Every day reports abound with breaches and intrusions, and inevitably stolen, cracked or badly created passwords are to blame. 80% of data breaches in 2019 were caused by password compromise.
A recent Dark Web dump revealed that 40+ staffers at the World Health Organization were using “password” as their password!
Bad passwords are bad news and it pays to pay attention to what makes a password good or bad. Common password mistakes should be of particular interest to people named George, Disney fans, and sports fans (we’re looking at you Green Bay Packer fans).
In honor of World Password Day, here’s a look at five big mistakes that users can make when choosing a password, plus three ways ITConnexx can help you put a stop to bad passwords putting your data and systems at risk.
PASSWORD MISTAKES
Showing your team spirit
Wear your team pride on your sleeve but keep it out of your password.
1. gopack
2. badgers
3. rolltide
4. brewers
5. woosooiepig
Even using sports in general
Sports fans can quickly find themselves on the receiving end of a penalty like a data breach with these insecure passwords.
1. baseball
2. football
3. soccer
4. hockey
5. tennis
Turning to superheroes or animated characters
1. tigger
2. snoopy
3. mickey
4. superman
5. batman
Shouting out songs and bands
Yes, it’s smart to use multiple characters, letters, and numbers in your password, but not with these 5 chart-topping bad passwords.
1. blink182
2. rush2112
3. beatles
4. blondie
5. 8675309 (bet you said “nii-eee-iiine” when you read that)
Playing the name game
Do not use common first names when creating passwords. It’s far too easy for cybercriminals to leverage social media or baby name trends to maximize on monikers.
1. george
2. michael
3. hunter
4. charlotte
5. matthew
PASSWORD WINS While education and complexity can help combat the scourge of bad passwords, they are almost inevitably still going to be a problem. Mitigate the risk of a password-related data breach or other cybersecurity disasters by adding three simple yet effective tools to your arsenal that can notch major wins for your defensive strategy. 1. Use Multifactor Authentication Multifactor authentication (MFA) is the single easiest way to defang a bad password. ITConnexx can help with our vendor partners that provide MFA service and we can help you implement it. 2. Password Vault or Password Management System
Passwords kept in an unencrypted spreadsheet, in a Word document, or any where else on your network or in your laptop or desktop put you and your organization at the greatest risk. Imagine a bad guy getting ALL your passwords in one swipe. ITConnexx can help with our vendor partner that provides professional Password Management and we can help you implement it.
3.Watch the Dark Web It is easier to protect companies against intrusion from stolen or cracked passwords if you know the bad guys already have them. Password dumps containing thousands of passwords drop on the Dark Web every day. Be forewarned and forearmed. ITConnexx can help with our vendor partner that provides Dark Web monitoring and we can help you implement it.
Celebrate World Password Day by reviewing your password and login protection strategy to see if it is time for an update, especially as remote work adds major new cybersecurity risks. Contact for expert analysis and recommendations today on how you can boost your login security and protect your bottom line. info@itconnexx.com or call us at 800-797-0345, we are ready to help secure your business.
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