We talk about passwords a lot. As you know, I am a fan of passphrases instead of passwords as they are hard to guess and easy to remember—a perfect combination for security data.

Despite emphasizing how important passwords and passphrases are in protecting data, most individuals are not trying very hard to think about and deploy a complex password or passphrase, putting both their own information and the information of their employer at risk.

Folks, it’s just not that hard to come up with a passphrase you can both remember and that would be hard to guess. Obviously, security wonks recommend that we not use our name, address, birthday, family members’ or pets’ names, or consecutive numbers such as 1234. UGH—really? Do we have to remind you? Apparently yes.

According to password platform Beyond Identity’s new report, which surveyed 1,000 Americans, a vast majority of us are trying to guess our co-workers’, boss’s and other family members’ passwords; the report also found that people still use generic passwords.

The report showed that 1 in 3 of those surveyed admitted to trying to guess another person’s password and 73.3 percent of them were successful in their efforts!

Message: try a little harder to come up with a passphrase that is more challenging for your co-worker or others to guess. Don’t make it so easy to compromise your personal or professional data.

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