Brits are being urged to be more vigilant with their passwords as they face losing thousands to hackers online. Consumer experts at NetVoucherCodes.co.uk have revealed what type of passwords to avoid in order to prevent criminals from stealing money and personal information.
It said more than two billion passwords were leaked in 2021 in data breaches and nearly two-thirds of people use the same password across multiple accounts. If a password has been breached and is the same one used across several different platforms, hackers could have access to multiple accounts, including on social media and online banking.
Using personal information like street names, the name of a pet and surnames should also be avoided at all costs, as these kinds of passwords are common and easy to guess. Secure passwords will be at least eight to 12 characters long and will use a combination of upper and lowercase letters, symbols and numbers.
John Stirzaker, consumer expert at NetVoucherCodes.co.uk, said: “It’s shocking to learn how many passcodes have been leaked, which means millions face having their bank details stolen by online criminals. We don’t want anyone falling victim to hackers by simply choosing a password which is easy to crack or by using the same one for multiple accounts.
“The moment someone has figured out one of your passwords, it’s more than likely they’ll target the rest of your accounts, especially your banking apps. Hackers can attempt to log into your email and change the passwords on all of your accounts, giving them full access to your information. We’ve put together a quick guide on the types of passwords people should be avoiding in order to keep their information and accounts safe.”
