Devices with weak passwords will be banned in the UK

Common, easy-to-guess passwords like “admin” or “12345” are banned in the UK under a world-first law aimed at protecting against cyberattacks.

In addition to default passwords, if a user suggests a common password, they will be prompted to change it when creating a new account.

It comes as a home full of smart devices could be exposed to more than 12,000 hacking attacks across the world in a single week, with 2,684 attempts to guess weak passwords across five devices, according to a investigation carried out by Which?

Password management website NordPass found that the most commonly used passwords in the UK last year were 123456 and, believe it or not, password.

The new measures come into force in the UK on Monday, making it the first country in the world to introduce these laws.

They are part of the Telecommunications Product and Infrastructure Security (PSTI) regime, designed to improve the UK’s resilience to cyber attacks and ensure that malicious interference does not impact the UK economy and world as a whole.

Under the law, manufacturers of all internet-connected devices – from mobile phones, smart doorbells and even high-tech refrigerators – will be required to implement minimum security standards.

They will also need to publish their contact details so that bugs and issues can be reported and resolved and tell consumers the minimum time frame in which they can expect to receive important security updates.

“As daily life becomes increasingly dependent on connected devices, internet-generated threats are multiplying and becoming even greater,” said Minister of Science and Technology Viscount Camrose.

“From today, consumers will have greater peace of mind knowing their smart devices are protected from cybercriminals… We are committed to making the UK the safest place in the world to be online and these new regulations mark a significant step towards a more secure digital world.

According to recent figures, 99% of UK adults own at least one smart device and UK households own an average of nine connected devices.

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Additionally, 57% of households own a smart TV, 53% own a voice assistant, and 49% own a smartwatch or fitness band.

Copper Horse – a company that provides mobile phone software and security expertise to a wide range of customers – has flagged webcam-equipped products as “weak and insecure” and “easy to hack and take over.” charge”.