The UK prohibits weak passwords such as “12345” or “admin” by law

The end of weak passwords on Internet-connected electronic devices is near. United kingdom The law will prohibit the use of weak default passwords such as “admin” or “123456” To force manufacturers to meet minimum standards of protection against cyberattacks and computer hacking, thus ensuring the safety of users. According to a study conducted by a password management site nord pass, The 10 most used passwords in the UK are: 123456, password, QWERTY, Liverpool, 123456789, Arsenal, 12345678, 12345, abc123 and Chelsea.

The new procedures came into effect on Monday, according to the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Technology, according to the British newspaper Watchman, To become a pioneering initiative at the global level. Thus, from now on, manufacturers of phones, TVs and smart devices, among others, will be as well Legally required to protect connected devices To the Internet against access by cyber criminals. If the user wants to use a password that is considered weak when creating a new account, the software installed by the manufacturer will have to prevent this.

Data protection

The new law aims to enhance the protection of individuals, society and the economy from potential cyber attacks, in addition to increasing confidence among consumers in the safety of the products they purchase. The goal is to increase cyber resilience in the country99% of adults have at least one smart device in their home, and on average there are nine connected devices.

According to a study he conducted any?, Smart devices that are part of the home are exposed to 12,000 hacking attacks in just one week from all over the world. In total, 2,684 attempts were made to guess weak passwords. The new law is integrated into the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure (PSTI) regime, designed to ensure this “Malignant interventions” do not affect the global economy. In addition, it also introduces other security protections, such as requiring manufacturers to publish contact information so that users and companies can be notified that bugs and issues have been resolved. Manufacturers are required to inform consumers of the minimum time it can take to receive important security updates on smart devices. Consumers and cybersecurity experts can also report any product that does not meet the standards set by the new regulations to the Office of Product Standards and Safety (OPSS).

Britain's Science and Technology Minister, Jonathan Perry, defended the regulations: “As everyday life becomes increasingly reliant on connected devices, Threats from the Internet are multiplying And they get older. Starting today, consumers will have greater peace of mind knowing what they have Smart devices are protected against cybercriminals.”