2 most common passwords still '123456' and 'password'
TAMPA (FOX 13) - We've all seen the very real results of cyber-hacking. Target, Home Depot, even the cheating-website Ashley Madison have all fallen to the finger-tips of dark-web wizards.
"The cyber hackings that take place are a result of people not using good cyber hygiene," said Sri Sridharan, managing director of the Florida Center for Cybersecurity.
One of the first lines of defense is something many take for granted: their own passwords.
A recent report by the company Splash Data titled "Worst Passwords of 2015"shows the two most common passwords were 123456 and the word "password."
The data is made up from more than 2 million leaked passwords.
See the study's results: http://www.prweb.com/releases/worst/passwords/prweb13170789.htm
"If someone hacks your email because of the simple password you use they will try that with your financial accounts with other subscriptions," said Sridharan.
Experts say, don't be careless.
Come up with hard to hack passwords containing 8, 10 even 12 letters which also include special characters.
And use different passwords for different accounts.
"Cyber security is a serious threat," said Sridharan.