Security

Weak Passwords Pose Cybersecurity Risk for Campus Networks

Colleges and universities already present prime targets for hackers, and easily guessable passwords make the problem worse.

Meg Conlan-Donnelly

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Meg was an editor for the CDW family of technology magazine websites.

Using a weak password is the equivalent of laying out the welcome mat for hackers, but that hasn’t stopped some users from prioritizing convenience over password strength.

A SplashData analysis of 2 million passwords found that “123456” and “password” once again topped of the list of the most popular passwords in 2015. Other frequently used passwords included “12345678,” “qwerty” and “12345.”

Easy to type and just as easy to guess, these risky passwords are especially problematic for colleges and universities, which not only have a large number of users accessing the network but also represent enticing targets for cybercriminals.

Higher ed IT professionals can help protect users’ personally identifiable information and researchers’ intellectual property by teaching faculty, staff and students the importance of strong passwords and passphrases.

Learn more by watching the video Cybersecurity Best Practices for Colleges and Universities, and then find out how third-party experts can help safeguard campus networks.