(WPRI) — Officials are always urging consumers to change their passwords to hold off hackers but recently it seems like people just aren’t listening.
According to security experts, many hacking victims are making it easy for thieves to gain access to their accounts. Big companies such as Sony, Home Depot, and Target have all been hit by hackers and Americans are still failing to use safe passwords.
Slash data found that the most common passwords among Americans are 1-2-3-4-5-6, the word “password”, and QWERTY, the first six letters in the top row of the keyboard.
Other common passwords include the words baseball, football, and dragon, all of which do not include numbers or alternate characters. Experts suggest using passwords that are at least eight characters long and include numbers.
Consumers should also avoid using the same password on multiple accounts or web sites.
“It is important to change your passwords every 30 days and make them as unique as possible so only you know what it is,” Security Expert Ron Hale said.
Passwords are important for protecting things like email and bank accounts, and should never be as easy as 1-2-3.
