Get This: Sony Hack Reveals Company Stored Passwords in Folder Labeled 'Password'
The security breach brings to light some of the worst password-protecting practices.
By Nina Zipkin •
The Sony hack revealed a lot of things. Celebrity social-security numbers. Employee salaries. Even how the studio's employees really feel about Adam Sandler's body of work.
But there's at least one more gem that was unearthed: Sony kept thousands of company and personal passwords in a file called "Password." Yes, seriously.
The folder stored more than 100 files with passwords -- labeled with titles like "website passwords" and "Server Privileged Access" -- to personal computers, servers, e-mail accounts, social media accounts for various films, media subscriptions and even passwords for credit card and insurance companies.
Related: Swallow This 'Password' Pill to Unlock Your Digital Devices
In other words, this is exactly what not to do when it comes to cyber security.
So what can companies do to bolster their password security? Don't use the same password for all your platforms, change them frequently and look into a password manager that hasn't been the victim of a breach.
And instead of 123456 (please don't do this), create a password that's a mnemonic of a memorable phrase or that is at least eight characters with a combination of symbols, letters and numbers.
Related: How to Create a Super Strong Password (Infographic)
