A recent report shows about 30% of passwords are six characters or smaller, while 60% are created from a limited set of alphanumeric characters. Users tend to use easily guessable names, common slang words, adjacent keyboard keys and consecutive digits as their passwords. In fact, the most common password among users is "123456," followed by "12345" and "123456789." The other passwords rounding out the top five are "password" and "iloveyou". In addition, most people if given a choice, do not change their password on a regular basis.
Many email problems such as spoofed emails, hacked/virus emails and SPAM emails are caused by simple things such as weak passwords.
So beginning in July 2011, Host Depot changed it's acceptable password policy to adhere to stricter guidelines.
Acceptable passwords NOW MUST contain at least
- 1 upper case
- 1 lower case
- 1 numeric
- 1 special character.
- Passwords must also be at least 8 characters in length and cannot contain the username.