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What Are The Worst Passwords of 2015

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When it comes to internet security, we must do our part. SplashData just recently released the list of what are the worst passwords of 2015 that are worryingly still in use. They mark a true persistence on the side of web users who, in spite of warnings, still remain consistent in their virtually useless picks.

Anyone still using ‘123456’?

As we head into 2016, there are truly very few excuses that can be used to mask mistakes when we make things extra easier for hackers. The warnings are there, and websites commonly make demands for stronger passwords. In fact, some will deny the simplest attempts, so that the dreaded ‘123456’ will never be used again. And yet, it persevered.

For the fifth time in a row, SplashData published the “Worst Password List” of the previous year, showing a remarkable stubbornness of users and perhaps a dash of attempt at creativity. Unfortunately, the attempt fails because of familiar and easy-to-guess patterns.

The report was compiled from over 2 million leaked passwords in 2015, with the intention of bringing awareness for the need of stronger cyber protection. On the list there are many of the classics, along with some fresh ones that are equally bad in spite of their newfound popularity. Simply changing the row or column of keys to press on a keyboard will not result in a safer password, although it may look like it.

For example, “1qaz2wsx” may appear to be a random string of letters at first glance. However, they are the first two rows going down on the keyboard. It’s the same unsafe pattern as “1234567890” or “qwertyuiop”, only in a different direction. Unfortunately, they remain common and are easy to guess by hackers. CEO of SplashData, Morgan Slain, stated that there have been attempts by people to make longer passwords in thinking they will be more secure. However, that is simply not the case.

If these longer strings of words and numbers are in a simple pattern, they will not provide more security.

Sports and pop culture have recently entered the list of the worst passwords of last year. “Football” has climbed its way up the ranks, while “baseball” fell a few spots, but it’s still there. And, if anyone had any doubts about the series’ popularity, ‘Star Wars’ themed passwords have also recently entered the list. With words such as “solo”, “starwars”, or “princess”, they have been a common entry, albeit a bad one.

The top 25 worst passwords

  1. 123456
  2. password
  3. 12345678
  4. qwerty
  5. 12345
  6. 123456789
  7. football
  8. 1234
  9. 1234567
  10. baseball
  11. welcome (new entry)
  12. 1234567890 (new entry)
  13. abc123
  14. 111111
  15. 1qaz2wsx (new entry)
  16. dragon
  17. master
  18. monkey
  19. letmein
  20. login (new entry)
  21. princess (new entry)
  22. qwertyuiop (new entry)
  23. solo (new entry)
  24. passw0rd (new entry)
  25. starwars (new entry)

According to SplashData, there are some simple guidelines to avoid seeing your password on this list. For one, simple patters must be avoided, along with popular past times and familiar commands such as “login”. The most secure passwords would have up to 12 characters with a mixture of letters, numbers, and symbols. Using the same password over and over again should also be avoided in order to not have all your accounts vulnerable at the same time should something happen.

Some would say that a true hacker can break any password, but perhaps it’s better if we don’t make things extra easy for them.

Image source: post-gazette.com

SONY Attackers Leaked Trove Of Records Including Employee Passwords

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Everybody is terrible at passwords; that is nothing new. Yet if you’re working at a prominent studio like Sony, maybe you ought to pick a finer secret word than “s0ny123” or “password.”

Days after the enormous hack against Sony, a group of hackers calling themselves “GOP”(Guardian of Peace) discarded online a trove of records that seem to be from the internal computers of Sony Pictures Entertainment. The documents contain all types of data, for example, sales reports, syndication contracts, and employee salaries.

Along with the hacked trove is also a folder called, just, “passwords.” And much the same as you’d expect, inside the folder there’s a document called “passwords.doc” dated March 2, 2011, which contains what resembles a rundown of worker usernames, passwords, and even credit card numbers.

One more folder in the trove contained payroll spreadsheets, with details, for example, workers’ names, occupation titles, home addresses, and current pay rates. A portion of the spreadsheet records is ensured by a password — a decent security practice. Sadly, within the same folder, there’s also a file named “passwords” which contains the password to open the documents.

It’s still misty how the hacker got access to Sony’s computer systems, and how they found themselves able to siphon out a huge number of documents. However, judging from the utilization of frightful passwords and the act of placing passwords in folders right beside the files they are suppose to protect, Sony’s security practices may be worthy of some responsibility.

Certainly, this isn’t the first time Sony has been trapped using awful security and password rehearses. Way back in 2011, Sony was broken numerous times, hitting the organization’s Playstation Network and Sony Pictures, uncovering 37,000 client accounts. The hack uncovered that Sony was putting away those clients’ passwords in plaintext instead of encrypting them, which is currently the diligence standard.

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