How to avoid being hacked: start by upping your password game – ‘12345’ doesn’t cut it

Adobe Stock Photo by Thembekile Olivia Mayayise, University of the Witwatersrand If you type the term “password cyberattack” into Google News, the results will show just how often cyber criminals are getting hold of important data belonging to companies and individuals. Weak passwords are a big part of the problem. For instance, in 2023 technology security firm Nordpass reported that “123456” was the most common password in Nigeria, and the second most common password in the whole world. Thembekile Mayayise is a cybersecurity professional and researcher. The Conversation Africa asked her to outline how employers and employees can improve their password safety. Strong passwords can make a huge difference to your cyber security. Boris Zhitkov Why is password security so important? The spike in cyberattacks leading to system breaches and data leaks has compelled a review of access control strategies. The question has shifted from whether cyberattacks will occur to when and how they will happen. Passwords and usernames remain a key point of vulnerability as they are still used for access and authentication. Too many people use weak and recycled passwords. A report by cybersecurity firm Sophos found that the “number of cyber attacks on businesses in South Africa,...