World's Worst Password? Password - Jeffnicholson.net

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World's Worst Password? Password
There are good passwords, and then there are passwords that
are easy for hackers to crack. But the worst password to use
on the Internet is: “password.”
Many websites on the Internet require users to enter a
password in order to use them. A password is a secret
combination of letters, numbers and symbols.
“Hackers” are criminals who try to break into websites, in order
to steal information or vandalize the site.
Hackers don’t just guess at passwords. They use special
computer programs that try tens of thousands of letter
combinations very quickly to uncode a password.
When a person uses a simple password, the hacker can figure
it out very quickly. For instance, a hacker can break a simple
six-character password in less than six minutes. But by adding
a number to the same password, it would take the hacker more
than eight days to guess it.
An Internet security firm recently published a list of the worst
passwords. In other words, the easiest ones to hack. They are:
1) password
2) 123456
3) 12345678
4) qwerty (ie, the letters across the first row of keys on the keyboard)
5) abc123
6) monkey
7) 1234567
8 ) letmein (ie, let me in)
9) trustno1 (ie, trust no one)
10) dragon
11) baseball
12) 111111
13) iloveyou
The firm says it’s also a bad idea to use a password that is a common name or word, like Michael or
cupboard.
Instead, add a character to your password, such as: cupbo@rd. Or, use an acronym. For instance, by
thinking of the phrase “My cat’s name is Spot and he is 2,” and using the first letters of each word you get
“mcnisahi2” – a password that is easy to remember but difficult to hack.
Writing/Discussion Prompt
Today’s article explained that using an acronym to create a password is a really effective way to slow down
hackers. Create an acronym password using 6 letters and/or digits. Give your password to a classmate and
see if they can hack it.
Grammar Feature: Quotation Marks
Quotation marks are used in three different ways in today’s article.
1. In the following sentence, quotation marks are used to set off the word “password” from the rest of the
sentence.
“But the worst password to use on the Internet is: “password.” “

2. In the sentence below, quotation marks are used to show a nickname for people who break into online
spaces.
“Hackers” are criminals who try to break into websites, in order to steal information or
vandalize the site.”
3. Lastly, in the sentence that follows, quotation marks are used twice. First to show a direct quote and then
to set the acronym off from the rest of the sentence, like in the first example.
“For instance, by thinking of the phrase “My cat’s name is Spot and he is 2,” and using the
first letters of each word you get “mcnisahi2” – a password that is easy to remember but
difficult to hack.”
Place a 1, 2, or 3 beside the examples below to explain why a quotation mark was used.
1. The “little rugrats” were driving their mom crazy. _____________
2. Ms. Dormer screamed, “Stop throwing paper airplanes!” _____________
3. In an upset voice, she told him, “Go outside!” _____________
4. I think I’ve invented something delicious, “Choco-chips.” _____________