Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/7359
6 MESSAGING NEWS FEBRUARY 2010 A recent analysis of 32 million passwords is offered in a report, Consumer Password Worst Practices, that reveals the most commonly used passwords. Published by Imperva, the goal of the report is to help consumers and Web site administrators identify the most commonly used passwords to be avoided when using social networking or e-commerce sites. The top ten include: 1. 123456 2. 12345 3. 123456789 4. Password 5. iloveyou 6. princess 7. rockyou 8. 1234567 9. 12345678 10. abc123 SHORT TAKES Most Common Passwords "Now, ultimately, this issue isn't just about information freedom… The second annual Mobile Messaging Study conducted by Osterman Research (commissioned by Neverfail) reveals that compared to last year, employees still check email outside of work hours at an astounding rate (more than 95 percent of respondents). Respondents also continue to engage in risky and inappropri- ate behaviors at the same rate as last year with 76 percent admitting to driving while texting, 78 percent admitting to checking messaging in the bathroom and 11 percent admitting to doing so during an "intimate moment." "This reliance and addiction to off-hours email underscores the important role mobile messaging has taken in the business workflow," says Michael Osterman, president of Osterman Research. "As email has become integrated into mission- critical business processes, employees are feeling extraordinary pressure to be constantly available. In fact, this year's study finds that employees rely so heav- ily on mobile email availability that if service went down, even for an hour, 85 percent of respondents indicated that it would impact their business workflow." Email Addiction Pushes Employees to Risky and Inappropriate Behaviors By 2014, social networking services will replace email as the pri- mary vehicle for interpersonal communications for 20 percent of business users. Greater availability of social networking ser- vices both inside and outside the firewall, coupled with changing demographics and work styles will lead 20 percent of users to make a social network the hub of their business communications. During the next several years, most companies will be building out internal social networks and/or allowing business use of per- sonal social network accounts. Social networking will prove to be more effective than email for certain business activities such as status updates and expertise location. Source: Gartner, Inc. Gartner Predicts Email Replacement It's about whether we live on a planet with one Internet, one global community, and a common body of knowledge that benefits and unites us all, or a fragmented planet in which access to information and opportunity is dependent on where you live and the whims of censors." —Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during an address on the global challenges to Internet freedom and the path forward based on recent worldwide developments, including Google's stand to end censorship of its Chinese site.