The worst passwords of 2019 are in and they’re about as embarrassing and disappointing as you would expect. But, before we get into the top 10 list, have a brief existential crisis with me.
Are passwords ever secure anymore?
We have seen countless data breaches from some of the most trusted companies in the world. It can be disheartening for everyday people to attempt to set the best password and not feel like it’s all in vain.
Well, let me reassure you, so long as none of the passwords on the top 100 list are yours then you’re doing better than many of your fellow internet citizens.
How is it, in the year 2019 for goodness sakes, that people are still using “password” as their password. Here is the rest of the top ten list.
1. 123456
2. 123456789
3. qwerty
4. password
5. 1234567
6. 12345678
7. 12345
8. iloveyou
9. 111111
10. 123123
Cybersecurity will not be getting any easier in 2020, so just in case one of your passwords made the top 100 list, here are a few things to keep in mind while you update your passwords.
– Size matters: Aim to have a password that is between 12-15 characters long. Passwords should have a mix of numbers, letters, and symbols. Number sequences are never okay.
– Do not use your words: If possible, you should avoid having words in your password at all, especially if they are common pop culture. I’m talking to all the people who made “Harley” their password in 2019.
– Do a two-step: Set up two-factor authentication on your accounts. Two-factor authentication forces you to take two steps to log into your account making it that much harder to hack your account. If the account you’re setting-up doesn’t prompt you to do this, you can always check the account settings or security settings.
If this list tells you anything, it’s that many people still don’t understand the basics of creating a secure password. Not everyone has been bumping around the internet long enough to know what’s up. This might be a good time to call your parents and grandparents and remind them that 123456789 is not a clever password.
Staff Writer, Natalie Gonzalez earned her B.A. in English and a Creative Writing Certificate from the University of Texas at Austin. She is a writer and social media nerd with a passion for building online communities.
