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07-29-2006, 10:36 AM
THE TOP 10 MOST POPULAR PASSWORDS
Nearly 8 in every 1,000 people use either "password" or "123" as their password, according
to a survey by the British Web site Modern Life Is Rubbish: News & Views of the Modern Interweb.
Why is this important? Read the list below. If you use one of these passwords, change it
immediately. It's far too easy for a computer criminal to breach security and invade your personal
e-mail or other domain. A strong password is your first defense when it comes to protecting your
private data. Top 10 passwords:
1. 123 Would you protect your bank account with a PIN number this simple and easy to
replicate? Come on, be more creative. At least add a word before or after it.
2. password You may think you're clever choosing such an easy to remember password,
but the problem is that almost 1 in 250 people do the same thing!
3. liverpool This list is based on a British poll, but the lesson is the same. In this case,
"liverpool" could be the name of the city or soccer team. Either way, don't use your hometown
or favorite sports team as a password.
4. letmein Let me in! Let me in! It's the modern-day equivalent of "Open Sesame!"
5. 123456 It's always wise to use one or more numbers in your password, but choose
an order that's not quite so predictable!
6. qwerty Cute! But don't use it. It may be that when you have to type something in
that blank space for the password, you look down at the keyboard hoping for inspiration and
see the first six letters on the top row. The problem is too many other people do the same thing.
7. charlie Choosing the name of a loved one is commonly done and easily guessed by
anyone who knows you. Honor your loved ones in some other way!
8. monkey It's a mystery as to why "monkey" is such a popular password, but it could
be that it contains six letters (typically, this is the minimum number required), is easy to
remember and is easy to type.
9. arsenal This is the name of a popular soccer team in England, which probably accounts
for its presence on this British list. But the lesson still holds in the United States: Don't choose
Giants, Cowboys or Ravens either! Sports teams are ubiquitous passwords. "Arsenal" may also
be popular because its first four letters are a four-letter word.
10. thomas Yet another first name! Choosing a password is not like naming a child. What
is the ideal password? It should be easy for you to remember, but hard for others to guess.
Choose a password that is at least six to eight characters long and includes a combination of
letters and numbers, such as: 12hat93rxh. Do not use your birthday, name, screen name or
other obvious words or dates that someone else could guess. If you've ever told anyone your
password or you've had the same password for more than a few months, it's a good idea to
change it. A new password gives more security. One more tip: Make sure you keep your
password written down in a secure place so you won't forget it!
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Nearly 8 in every 1,000 people use either "password" or "123" as their password, according
to a survey by the British Web site Modern Life Is Rubbish: News & Views of the Modern Interweb.
Why is this important? Read the list below. If you use one of these passwords, change it
immediately. It's far too easy for a computer criminal to breach security and invade your personal
e-mail or other domain. A strong password is your first defense when it comes to protecting your
private data. Top 10 passwords:
1. 123 Would you protect your bank account with a PIN number this simple and easy to
replicate? Come on, be more creative. At least add a word before or after it.
2. password You may think you're clever choosing such an easy to remember password,
but the problem is that almost 1 in 250 people do the same thing!
3. liverpool This list is based on a British poll, but the lesson is the same. In this case,
"liverpool" could be the name of the city or soccer team. Either way, don't use your hometown
or favorite sports team as a password.
4. letmein Let me in! Let me in! It's the modern-day equivalent of "Open Sesame!"
5. 123456 It's always wise to use one or more numbers in your password, but choose
an order that's not quite so predictable!
6. qwerty Cute! But don't use it. It may be that when you have to type something in
that blank space for the password, you look down at the keyboard hoping for inspiration and
see the first six letters on the top row. The problem is too many other people do the same thing.
7. charlie Choosing the name of a loved one is commonly done and easily guessed by
anyone who knows you. Honor your loved ones in some other way!
8. monkey It's a mystery as to why "monkey" is such a popular password, but it could
be that it contains six letters (typically, this is the minimum number required), is easy to
remember and is easy to type.
9. arsenal This is the name of a popular soccer team in England, which probably accounts
for its presence on this British list. But the lesson still holds in the United States: Don't choose
Giants, Cowboys or Ravens either! Sports teams are ubiquitous passwords. "Arsenal" may also
be popular because its first four letters are a four-letter word.
10. thomas Yet another first name! Choosing a password is not like naming a child. What
is the ideal password? It should be easy for you to remember, but hard for others to guess.
Choose a password that is at least six to eight characters long and includes a combination of
letters and numbers, such as: 12hat93rxh. Do not use your birthday, name, screen name or
other obvious words or dates that someone else could guess. If you've ever told anyone your
password or you've had the same password for more than a few months, it's a good idea to
change it. A new password gives more security. One more tip: Make sure you keep your
password written down in a secure place so you won't forget it!
Received in email