Passwords you should never use – from ‘696969’ to ‘strongpassword’

Passwords can be a tricky subject.

Whether it’s concerns with having a weak one or struggling to remember them all, crafting the perfect wording can be a murky minefield.

And there’s a very good reason why.

Millions of online accounts are hacked every year, with cybercriminals becoming increasingly elaborate and innovative in their methods.

It is, therefore, vital to choose one that is memorable, yet unique – a password that no one except you would ever know.

Sadly, however, most online crime stems from obvious or poor log-in details.

Here, we take a look at some of the worst you should really try to avoid that are still in use today.

696969

This raunchy little number might seems like comedy – and security – gold, but you’d be very much mistaken.

While it’s somewhat cheesy, it’s also an extremely common password around the world, meaning it’s likely to be a strong candidate for fraudsters to try.

It’s probably best to save lewd lines for the bedroom and away from your online credentials.

Password

It might sound strange to some, but ‘password’ or ‘Password’ are two of the most common credentials on the planet. So much so, in fact, they have consistently remained in the top 5 most-used passwords since 2013.

Thankfully, the vast majority of new systems won’t allow users to choose it, but there are still many others that will.

If you really don’t want your data being illegally messed with, it’s safe to say this is one to avoid at all costs.

Your own name

It’s incredible to think that people still think their own name is unique enough that scammers wouldn’t dream of trying it.

Sadly, many still use it as part of their daily log-in routine.

Aside from it being the most instantly recognisable and easily accessible aspect of you personal data, it’s probably the first password cybercriminals will have a punt on.

This also rings true for kids’ names, birthdays, street names and pet names.

12345

It almost has iconic status among cybersecurity specialists, but “12345” its reputation is for all the wrong reasons.

Often used on padlocks – or at least hybrid of it – it is among the most obvious password pitfall you could make.

It was also famously used as the code to the Dromedia air shield in the 1980s comedy Spaceballs.

In the scene, actor Rick Moranis famously said it was “the stupidest combination I’ve ever heard in my life.”

And we think he might have a point.

But considering it also ranks among the top 5 worst and most popular passwords in the world, maybe it’s time to change it.

Old passwords

Let’s face it, we are a species of habit and routine.

But that’s exactly what criminals expect when they are trying to get into your personal accounts.

A data breach at a website or service provider can mean masses of personal data – including passwords – being stolen in one fell swoop.

As we typically use the same passwords for different accounts, it make sense that hackers would try it on other platforms.

The bottom line is… change it regularly.

Passwords without symbols or numbers

The more unique and complex the password, the more secure it is. It’s as simple at that.

Many passwords require a number or symbol to give you an extra layer or two of protection.

It is thought that one-word passwords that don’t contain digits or other symbols are far more likely to become victims of cybercrime.

If you want to stay safe online, adding a couple of numbers and the odd symbol will definitely help.

Strongpassword

As with “password”, using this cheeky – yet slightly more creative – suggestion is just asking for serious tech trouble.

The sheer audacity to use it almost provokes criminals to go it a go.

So next time you get annoyed with a site for letting you choose your preferred password, do yourself a favour a steer well clear of this one.

Surprisingly, it remains incredibly popular today.

The name of the website

This is another infamous – and very obvious – one, but many still refuse to change it.

If you’re one of those who simply must include, for example, Tesco for your tesco.com account password, maybe now is the time to reconsider.

Because this type of log-in credential is so common, hackers can spot trends and patterns. If they find out you’re using a store’s name for one password, chances are you do for others, too.

If you value your privacy, don’t use a website’s name when logging in.