An ethical hacker has revealed the 10 popular passwords you should never use on your phone or laptop.
Joe Cockroft, a cybersecurity expert skilled at breaking through complex systems and understanding criminal hacking methods, has revealed his big no-nos when protecting your data online.
In particular, he warned against using personal information as passwords.
Mr Cockroft said: ‘Using identifiable information such as a favorite football team, the names of relatives or the city you live in can make passwords easier to determine.
In today’s age, when so many people are almost entirely dependent on online technology in one way or another, cybersecurity is something that remains of paramount importance (File Image)
“While this information may be easy to remember, it may also be easy for threat actors to find out after, for example, spending a short time exploring your social media profiles.”
‘NordPass’s list of most common passwords shows how popular football teams are for UK passwords, and how many passwords are not complex and often consist of one word.
“Threat actors will often use a list of thousands or millions of words that will help them crack your password.”
He said that while using a memorable phrase, such as the name of your favorite sports team, is “easy to remember,” it also makes it easier for the security of your accounts to be compromised.
Joe said this is because threat actors often use a list that can be thousands or even millions of words long to allow them to find your password.
If you are using passwords such as ‘123456’ or ‘password’ you need to act now or you are at risk as these are still some of the most commonly used codes in Britain.
Joe also provided helpful advice on what to do if you’re having trouble coming up with a strong password.
He said this combination should be in the form of letters, numbers and symbols that are complex and should never be reused across multiple accounts.
The cybersecurity expert added that you should also regularly check if your accounts have been hacked so that you can change your password and lock your account if necessary.
Joe Cockroft, a cybersecurity expert skilled at breaking through complex systems and understanding criminal hacking methods, warned people going online that their passwords are not as strong as they should be (File Image)