Thieves will always look for the easy targets and these also include people who use their name, initials or birthday.
These won't show up on a survey such as SplashData's because - you read it here first - most of us have different names and birthdays. But they will surely show up on the radar of the hacking fraternity.
I feel reasonably safe because my passwords are more creative than those already mentioned. They are, starting with my online banking one ... oops. Easy trap to fall into!
Of course, I understand why people resort to the obvious. It's a tough job remembering so many passwords and then remembering which one is for which purpose.
Many's the time I have entered a wrong password online, then another wrong one, then been denied access to the site because I've got it wrong a third time.
When this happens, you've got to start the whole process over again, starting with a new password. This is when "password" has a lot of appeal.
Some people try to overcome this problem by using the one-size-fits-all approach - one password for everything. This, however, is probably as dangerous as choosing "password", "123456" or "12345678".
I've found that a frequent quick fix can be had by releasing the Caps Lock. Yes, you've done that too?
It's easy enough to remember passwords are case sensitive but not always as easy to remember you've left the Caps Lock on:
"What do you mean, I've entered the wrong password. I know my own sodding password," you shout. You have done that too? You've shouted words at an inanimate hunk of technology? To err is human; to blame the computer divine. But remember, there is only one satisfying way to boot a computer.
"Just a little bit more effort in choosing better passwords will go a long way towards making you safer online," said a SplashData spokesman. Righto, Mr Smartypants SplashDataMan, here are a few I prepared earlier which readers can feel free to use: oesophagus1, lobotomy2, coronary3. They also recommend the use of underscores, though my memory tells me some sites don't allow this. But you could try "heart - throb4".
If you choose a password that is too easy, be prepared to be embarrassed. Believe it or not, some websites will tell you to change it because your choice is weak.
"Bad command. Weak password. Naughty."
Yes, of course you can have conversations with computers.
Log in: Yes.
Password: I don't have one.
Computer: Your password is incorrect.
Second attempt:
Log in: Yes.
Password: Incorrect.
Computer: OK, in you go.
A more common dialogue might be:
Computer: Bad command. Fatal exception password error 98@2375777&* per cent^bytes-ram-error 4236xexceptionHJ76 per cent please ring Bob.
You: Pardon?
Computer: I am shutting down now.
Still confused? Help is at hand. Surprise surprise, SplashData have a solution for you. They recommend you use, at a very reasonable price, I'm sure, a "password manager application that organises and protects passwords".
My method, however, is free. First, be a little bit creative with your choice of passwords, then write them down on a piece of paper, taking care to label them so you know what each is for.
Finally, hide the paper from prying eyes. I can't guarantee 100 per cent success with this method.
At the moment I'm trying to remember where I hid my piece of paper.
