The 5 most used passwords of 2020 1:06
(CNN Spanish)
- Theft and data leakage are more common problems than you think.
Three years ago, this picture became very evident with the case of Cambridge Analytica.
But do not go so far back in time: just a month ago millions of personal data of Facebook users were leaked.
And it is precisely because of these breaches of digital security that having a strong password becomes so important.
They leak information from millions of Facebook users 1:27
It seems like something simple and that has already been said multiple times, but it is not that easy.
For example, according to Nordpass, the most used (and also the most vulnerable) password for 2020 was '123456'.
More than 2.5 million users used it that year and it took hackers less than 1 second to breach it.
So, if you want to avoid hacking attempts, you have to create a good password.
Here are some tips for you to do it.
1. No to the basic password, yes to the strong password
As we said earlier, the password '123456' was the worst of all in 2020. Therefore, please stop using it.
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And this is not the only one with those characteristics.
The top 5 of the most vulnerable are completed by the following passwords: in position two, '123456789';
in three, 'picture1';
at four, 'password';
and in five, '12345678'.
Say goodbye to those and all the basic passwords.
2. Extension is important
According to Google, a strong password must be long, with a minimum of 12 characters.
But it also has to be something easy to remember.
To do this, “try to use the lyrics of a song or a poem;
a meaningful quote from a movie or speech;
a passage from a book;
a sequence of words that are meaningful to you;
an abbreviation (create a password with the first letter of each word in a sentence), ”explains the technology company.
And do not forget: if your password is related to something that comes in your public information on social networks or if it is about something that someone you know also knows, then it is not secure and you should improve it.
3. Bad news: changing your password frequently doesn't help much
Years ago, it was believed that frequently changing your password would prevent a breach of your data.
However, that is not entirely accurate.
According to the cybersecurity firm Kaspersky, the constant change of password only causes us to make it easier and easier, in order not to forget it.
And this brings us to the basic passwords from point 1.
Because of this, both Google and Kaspersky recommend that your password be unique (that is, one that no one can guess except yourself) and that you use a different one for each of your accounts.
"If you use the same password for all accounts, a single breach could compromise all your accounts," says Kaspersky.
“It is risky to reuse passwords for important accounts.
If someone finds out the password of one of those accounts, they could access your email and your bank account, and even know your home address, "adds Google.
4. Paper remains an ally
It sounds archaic, but writing down the passwords for each of your accounts on paper is a good idea, according to Google.
However, you must be very careful of where you keep that paper or notebook where you wrote them.
“If you need to write your password on paper or some document, don't leave it on your computer or desk.
Make sure to keep these passwords in a secret or locked place, ”says the company.
5. Or rather go digital
If paper isn't your thing, then maybe you should use an online password manager.
Several companies have theirs: Google and Kaspersky, for example;
but there are also others like Keeper Password Manager & Digital Vault, Dashlane, Password Boss, LastPass and several more.
Always compare the characteristics, pros and cons of each of these services, so you can choose the best one for your needs.
Cybersecurity