Most Popular 2012 Passwords Revealed
SplashData.com recently published the following information regarding the most popular 2012 passwords on the web. The ranking was based on password information from compromised accounts posted by hackers online. The article was also featured on blogs.avg.com.
This year, the list is back! So it's time to see how, if at all, users have learned their lessons about what makes a strong password.
Here's the full list and how it compares to last year's:
1. password Unchanged
2. 123456 Unchanged
3. 12345678 Unchanged
4. abc123 Up 1
5. qwerty Down 1
6. monkey Unchanged
7. letmein Up 1
8. dragon Up 2
9. 111111 Up 3
10. baseball Up 1
11. iloveyou Up 2
12. trustno1 Down 3
13. 1234567 Down 6
14. sunshine Up 1
15. master Down 1
16. 123123 Up 4
17. welcome New
18. shadow Up 1
19. ashley Down 3
20. football Up 5
21. jesus New
22. michael Up 2
23. ninja New
24. mustang New
25. password1 New
As you can see, people haven't changed their password habits a whole lot in a year.
If your password is included on that list, or is a close variation of these passwords, it's really important to take action now!
Fixing your password problem can be very simple;
Long is strong: The longer the password, the more difficult it will be for someone to try and crack it using brute force. So, instead of a single word, with a jumble of symbols, numbers and characters, try a string of words. Use a line of your favorite poem, song or just something memorable. Feel free to add your lucky number at the end if you like.
Something like: "withnodirectionhome1085".
A famous Dylan lyric like this will always be easy to remember, and say you were born in October 1985. This means that you've suddenly got a 23 character password, which is much harder to crack than something much harder to remember such as "Phu!R7tRjX".
Variety is the spice of life: The trouble with smaller, complex passwords is that they can be a real hassle to remember, often forcing you to use the same password for multiple accounts which is never a good idea. So another benefit of having long, easy to remember passwords is that you keep many passwords.
How to Avoid ATM Skimming
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Inspect the ATM, gas pump, or credit card reader before using it. Be suspicious if you see anything loose, crooked, or damaged, or if you notice scratches or adhesive/tape residue.
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When entering your PIN, block the keypad with your other hand to prevent possible hidden cameras from recording your number.
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If possible, use an ATM at an inside location (less access for criminals to install skimmers).
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Be careful of ATMs in tourist areas…they are a popular target of skimmers.
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If your card isn't returned after the transaction or after hitting "cancel," immediately contact the financial institution that issued the card.
Free Trials Aren't Always Free
Watch Crime Prevention Tips
Neighborhood Watch is a good example of a crime prevention initiative that helps foster awareness and citizen involvement. In Oak Forest, Neighborhood Watch is coordinated by the police department and the Crime Prevention Commission.
Crime Prevention Triangle
The Police Department uses the Crime Prevention Triangle, a concept that states that in order for a crime to occur, all three of the triangle's elements - desire, ability and opportunity - must exist. If we can eliminate any one of these elements, a crime has not occured. Let's take a quick look at each of these elements.
The desire of a criminal to commit a crime. We, as citizens, cannot effect or remove a criminals desire to commit a crime. If someone really wants to commit a crime he or she will.
The criminal's ability to commit a crime. We cannot effect the ability of a criminal to commit a crime. He or she will find a way. He or she can be thousands of miles away, use telephones, or the Internet. Not even physical impairment will stop some individuals from committing crimes.
The criminal's opportunity to commit crimes. This is where we can take action to prevent crime. By removing the opportunity for crime to occur, we have broken the Crime Prevention Triangle. How do we do this? By practicing the techniques learned at Neighborhood Watch meetings.
Crime Prevention Contacts
Citywide Neighborhood Watch Meeting - November 2011
National Night Out
2010 Photos
Oak Forest Crime Prevention Statistics
January 2013
February 2013
March 2013
April 2013
January 2012
February 2012
March 2012
April 2012
May 2012
June 2012
August 2012
September 2012
October 2012
November 2012
December 2012
Links of Interest
McGruff SafeGuard: Take a Bite out of Internet Danger
Net Cetera: Chatting with Kids about Being Online
Smishing and Vishing: Another scam to look out for this holiday
For more information, contact the Crime Prevention Commission
708-687-4050, ext. 1603
crimeprevention@oak-forest.org
