Study: Most common Internet password is ‘password’
Aug 6, 2012, 4:12 PM | Updated: 4:12 pm
Protecting information on the Internet can be a near-impossible task, but choosing a good password is a big portion of that.
However, at least according to Mashable, a lot of Internet users still haven’t caught on to the security game.
The top three most commonly used passwords are “password,” “123456” and “12345678.”
“Hackers can easily break into many accounts just by repeatedly trying common passwords,” [SplashData CEO Morgan] Slain says. “Even though people are encouraged to select secure, strong passwords, many people continue to choose weak, easy-to-guess ones, placing themselves at risk from fraud and identity theft.
Other popular passwords were “master,” “football,” “baseball” and “abc123.”
Most websites urge users to select at least a six-character password. Too make that password more difficult, it’s recommended users use capital letters and numerals.