WyzGuys Tech Talk

As I have been saying for years, passwords by themselves no longer represent a secure form of authentication.  This is because passwords can be easily guessed, or solved using automated password cracking techniques such as the Dictionary Attack or Brute Force Attack.  There are also pre-cracked lists of passwords called Rainbow Tables available on both the light and dark web.

There are plenty of Rainbow Table available for the most commonly used passwords, such as these “turkeys” from 2020.  If you are using any sort of password strengthening tool to prevent your user community from selecting these passwords, then here are a couple lists to add to them.

Here are the top twenty passwords that use a Star Wars theme:

1. yoda
2. starwars
3. ewok
4. hansolo
5. darthvader
6. bobafett
7. darthmaul
8. grogu
9. obiwankenobi
10. lukeskywalker
11. macewindu
12. anewhope
13. plokoon
14. mandalorian
15. princessleia
16. kyloren
17. kuiil
18. iamyourfather
19. quigonjinn
20. rogueone

Marvel and DC Comics have certainly turned out a ton of movies featuring our favorite comic-book heroes.  Unfortunately, these are being used as password as well, and are easily guessed or cracked.

As long as we continue to use passwords as at least one common authentication factor, preventing their use in your environment should be a priority.

The best solution to the inherent weakness of passwords is the use of a two-factor or multi-factor authenticator in combination with a password.  While this is not necessarily a perfect solution, it is way better than using a password alone.

More Information:

• Specops Super Hero Passwords
• Specops Star Wars Passwords
• Thanksgiving Turkey Award – Worst Passwords of 2020
• Most Popular Passwords and PINs for 2019
• Sunday Funnies – Worst Passwords of 2018