Are you a fan of bond007, trustno1 or abc123? Have you used a password combination involving your name, your child’s name or your pet’s name? You’re one of many and unfortunately this makes you particularly vulnerable online, Queensland Police say.
To create a strong password, you should use a combination of letters, numbers and symbols; avoid personal information, common words and importantly, avoid reusing passwords
If you use a password based on a name, it can be easily broken. Hackers know many people use passwords starting with a capital letter and often use the same password across many sites. Once a hacker works it out, they can gain access to them all!
A password management provider has just listed the "worst" passwords for 2017, including:
- 123456
- Password
- 12345678
- Qwerty
- 12345
- 123456789
- Letmein
- 1234567
- Football
- Iloveyou
Do any of these sound familiar? If yes or you’re using something quite similar, it’s time to reset your passwords.
If you get stuck on how to create a stronger password try using at least 12 characters and include symbols such as $,?,% @ in random places to make it more difficult to be broken. It may be harder to remember, but consider the alternative. Losing your personal data, account details or a sum of money is much more inconvenient in the long run.
Remember, only you should be in control of your passwords. R u In Control?
If you have information for police, contact Policelink on 131 444 or provide information using the online form 24hrs per day.
You can report information about crime anonymously to Crime Stoppers.
