'Harry Potter' passwords harmful to network security
October 24, 2003 at 1:13 PM ET
grae
iharrypotter.net (via GEEK.com)
You are the weakest link! Good-bye!
That's what your company may soon tell you, if you're using Harry Potter names for your password
.
In a recent online survey, 15% of 150 I.T. experts opted to give their company's network password in order to be entered into a drawing ... before they were reminded that that is a bad idea.
The survey was managed by NCC Group, an I.T. security and assurance provider. In response to the survey's results, NCC warned that users have become the weakest links in networks. Shared passwords on multiple computers, common names used as passwords (especially football teams, Harry Potter names, and Lord of the Rings names), and just plain laziness are the main issues.