Are you someone that is guilty of using the same password for everything and maybe throws a number on the end every once in a while? There are some daunting new figures that might make you rethink your strategy.
Have I Been Pwned is a website that allows users to enter their online details into a search box which then tells them if their passwords have previously been compromised by data breaches.
As well as telling you if your data has been breached it also keeps a database of the passwords that have been exposed to known data breaches.
** WARNING: Spoiler Alert **
Only a spoiler alert if your password is on the list. Don’t worry you are definitely not alone. ‘123456’ is used by over 20 Million users.
A complete list is downloadable from the Haveibeenpwned website.
So, what can you do?
If you spotted your password on the list or one that was a little too close for comfort, don’t panic — but there are some things you should do right away.
1. If your password is on the list, change it.
2. Use the website to search any of your other details like an email address to see if they have been compromised and change them if necessary.
3. If you don’t want to have different passwords for every login, at least make sure the password for your email account is completely unique and you don’t use it anywhere else.
4. Use a mix of upper and lower case letters, numbers and symbols to create a secure password.
Hopefully, this blog entry is letting you off with a warning. Now that you know, avoid being found guilty of this crime.
