We’ve all been told time and time again that the only real way to protect our information online is to have a really secure password, but according to a new report, most people are failing in that department.
The digital security company Dashline just released an analysis of over 61-million passwords and it turns out there are some definite patterns when it comes to mistakes people are making with their passwords.
Mistakes include:
Password Walking - This is when folks choose passwords that contain combinations of letters, numbers, and symbols that are adjacent to one another on the keyboard, like "qwerty" and "123456.” Other popular ones include “1q2w3e4r” and “1qaz2wsx,” all of which can be typed using just your left hand.
Love & Hate – Lots of passwords are made up of words pertaining to love, as well as aggressive and vulgar language, with the most popular ones being “iloveyou,” “f*ckyou,” “a**hole,” “f**koff,” and “Iloveme.”
Recurrent Brands – Certain brands, like Coca Cola, Skittles and even company names like Lilnkedin have seeped into folks' passwords. The most popular include “Myspace,” “mustang,” “linkedin” “Ferrari” and “playboy.”
Music & Movies – A lot of people tend to include their favorite moves and music in passwords, with the most frequent ones used being “superman,” “pokemon,” “slipknot,” “starwars” and “metallica.”
Champions League – Sports-related terms are always quite popular for passwords, but it seems soccer fans are the most guilty of this, with the most popular sports-related passwords all referencing popular Champions League football clubs, like “liverpool,” “chelsea,” and “arsenal.”
The Best Password Managers For When You Can't Keep Track
LastPass – This one lets you store online and sync with all of your devices and even changes your password for you when an account has been hacked.
Dashlane – This one lets you share you passwords with emergency contacts in case you can’t access your accounts.
KeePass – Let the app make your passwords for you and even judge the strength of them.
1Password – Flexible and easy to use, it works with multiple devices and multiple browsers.
Roboform 8 – This one lets you manage passwords even when you’re offline!