More often than not, people take the easy way out when it comes to passwords. There are so many services that require a password that it’s easier to choose an easy one than a complicated one; but in exchange for ease, you lose security.
A new survey conducted by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and the Department for Digital, Media, and Sport (DCMS) in the UK has found that a staggering number of people actually use musicians and pop culture for their passwords, many of them across different services.
Among the top musicians are Blink-182 (285,706), 50 Cent (191,153), Eminem (167,983), Metallica (140,841), and Slipknot (140,833), while Superman (333,139), Naruto (242,749), Tigger (237,290), Pokemon (226,947), and Batman (203,116) lead the fictional front.
As Consequence of Sound points out in their coverage of the survey, yes, this is a UK specific study. Regardless, if any of those passwords look familiar, you should change yours immediately.
“Nobody should protect sensitive data with something that can be guessed, like their first name, local football team or favorite band,” Dr Ian Levy, NCSC Technical Director explained. “Using hard-to-guess passwords is a strong first step and we recommend combining three random but memorable words. Be creative and use words memorable to you, so people can’t guess your password.”
If EDM fans were surveyed, it’s not unlikely that artists like Skrillex, Excision, or Illenium (or variations thereof) would be similarly popular.
Consult the full list of passwords here and act accordingly.
via Consequence of Sound | Photo by Canadian Press / Rex Features
This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: Hundreds Of Thousands Of People Use Musicians For Their Password & It’s Not Safe
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