Visual of the “Top 500 Worst Passwords”
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You know the lock-screen gesture protection used on Iphone/Android smartphones to prevent people from picking up your phone and having immediate access to all your personal information? Right, well, I hope you’re not relying on your phone’s swipe gesture protection to keep all your dirtiest secrets from falling into the wrong hands.
The next image is a good example of how easy it is to circumvent the Nexus One’s lock-screen gesture password.
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A new study, which is being published in the Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, details just how long we’ve been aware of the password problem. It cites a study of Unix passwords from 1979, which showed that about 30 percent of the passwords were four characters or less, and about 15 percent being words that appear in the dictionary. Fast forward to 2006, when a separate survey of 34,000 MySpace passwords revealed that the most common were “password1″, “abc123″, “myspace1″, and “password”.
src: arstechnica.com
DID you change your computer password?
This simple act can save money and protect your personal information, the Broadband Minister, Stephen Conroy, said yesterday as he launched the first “National Change Your Password Day”.
Senator Conroy, who revealed his own computer had this week been bombarded with more than 50 fake emails pretending to be from his bank, said people should change their passwords at least twice a year.
He recommended passwords always include letters and numbers and warned people to be vigilant. “Stop and think before you click on links or attachments,” he said.
“No one wants to lose their bank details to criminals or fall victim to an online scam and that’s why it’s important that people understand simple steps, such as getting a better, stronger password, can help them stay smart online and protect their personal information.”
He said this would build confidence in the digital economy, especially as more people increasingly use computers for personal, social networking and business purposes.
“Don’t just choose a password with your birthday or the name of your favourite football team. Get security software and update it regularly,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Auditor-General said he would have a full inquiry into the Government’s first failed broadband tender. The Opposition spokesman, Nick Minchin, has urged the audit into the process after Telstra was excluded on a technicality and the Government said none of the other bids was good enough.
The Government made the surprise announcement to instead set up its own $43 billion company to build the broadband network.
Via: smh.com.au