While hospitals and health systems are taking extra steps to safeguard protected health information and their health IT systems, they can always make sure to start with a good quality password.
SplashData, a password management solutions provider, compiled a list of the worst passwords used in 2013 using files containing millions of stolen passwords posted online.
"Many people continue to put themselves at risk by using weak, easily guessable passwords," according to the SplashData report, and the vulnerability is especially concerning when such passwords may be the barrier between protected health information and a data breach.
Here are the 10 worst passwords of 2013, according to SplashData.
- 123456
- password
- 12345678
- qwerty
- abc123
- 123456789
- 111111
- 1234567
- iloveyou
- adobe123
To help make passwords more secure, SplashData suggests using passwords with at least eight characters that use a mix of character types, including numbers, symbols, uppercase and lowercase letters. Additionally, one can use a collection of random words to create a passphrase.
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