It’s a message you probably see every day and instinctively push into the back of your mind. But with a new age of digital thievery and hacking upon us, it’s time to rethink your passwords.
According to NordPass research, using ‘Rangers’ as your password would take a hacker less than 1 second to crack. Alongside this alarmingly short cracking time, the use of ‘Rangers’ as a password has been exposed 86,320 times.
We recommend you consult this list of the 200 most used passwords in 2020 to clue yourself in. Rangers may have won the league, but the battle continues to rage online. Don’t let yourself fall victim to negligence and complacency.
The techniques that cybercriminals use to steal your credentials are sophisticated and socially engineered to trick you into clicking something you shouldn’t.
“Unwary users eager to see the match live would click on anything. Once clicked on a suspicious banner inviting to see the match, the user would be landing on a fraudulent page asking to enter their email address.”
…says Daniel Markuson, a digital privacy expert at NordVPN.
If you’re tricked into giving away your email address to a fake site specifically aimed at Rangers supporters, how quick do you think it will take the hacker to figure out that the password is ‘Rangers’ or some variant of it?
Once the hacker has figured out your easily crackable password, picture the havoc they could inflict on your personal network. Now, the price of reusing the same password becomes apparent. Make a list of all your online accounts and sort them based on which password you use for them. What would happen to your life if those accounts were compromised?
It’s time to take a proactive approach to your online security. Hackers rely more on the inattentiveness of their victims rather than the strength of their cracking tools. If they sniff out that you’re protected by something as robust as a VPN, they’ll quickly move on to the next target.
Investing in a password manager like NordPass will solve all your password woes in moments. No longer will you have to wrack your brain trying to create a code that’s simultaneously memorable and intricate. NordPass will generate complex passwords for you, save them in an encrypted vault only you can access, and even auto-fill them whenever you log into a website.
But remember — even a VPN can’t prevent user error. You can stay private and hidden all day, but giving away your email address to someone with ill intent is essentially offering them an open door to your digital life.
Having said that, you’ll find no better security combo than NordVPN and NordPass. Not only will the passwords for all your accounts be safe in an encrypted vault with NordPass, but you’ll also get protection on up to 6 devices with NordVPN. That’s a whole household covered with one subscription. Also, if you purchase a NordVPN subscription now, you can save 50% (making it £1.84!) off on NordPass Premium.
Knowledge is key. Research commonly reused passwords, update all your online accounts, and invest in a password manager. Remove the target from your chest before the hacker even has a chance to take aim.