Have you heard? Did you know? How can this be?
Today (05/05/2022) is world ‘password day’!! A bit strange I know but the message is fundamental to the successful security of our personal data and information alike. While passwords have been around for a very long time, whether they were used in secret societies or organisations to keep secrets from the general public or used to establish someone’s position within the group, they have always been something cloaked in secrecy.
Today, passwords have never been used more. As our lived become increasingly immersed within the digital world the more we are required to use a password to protect that information. Did you know that the top 10,000 most frequently used passwords unlock 98% of peoples accounts. With the use of easily accessible digital software hackers can input all of these options in a matter of no time.
There are ever more hackers these days, people making whole careers through hacking other peoples accounts and obtaining their personal data. Whether they fraudulently use the data themselves to access money and assets or sell the data to someone else to do the same the risk of being hacked is very real and can have huge consequences on the victim.
So what is the overall message of world password day? It is the use of strong/ robust passwords. Two-factor authentication is a great way to protect your social media, finance and digital information accounts. Changing your passwords frequently is also advised, not every week but once/ twice a year will massively reduce the risk of being hacked. Using more complex passwords with numbers, letters and special characters is very advisable.
So if all that you get from this slightly weird ‘world day’ in the calendar is to double check your online security and tighten up your passwords to prevent a very possible digital attack then I have done my job.
Who’s to say someone isn’t trying to hack into one of your accounts this very moment?
