RIM is gearing up to launch what they hope will be a huge boost to the struggling BlackBerry with the launch of BlackBerry OS 10 on January 30. But if you're planning on using a BlackBerry once the new OS launches, you might need to reconsider that password you've been using for ages.
A blog on Network World (shared via Reddit) explains that BlackBerry has blacklisted 106 words which it deems to be unsecure. Based on the data RIM has collected, the most common (and therefore least secure) passwords aren't going to be available to users once BlackBerry OS 10 hits.
[ Related: The 25 most popular (i.e. worst) passwords of 2012 ]
According to a RIM spokesperson, the ban on the 106 words won't be limited to new BB10 devices, either. Any device with a BlackBerry ID will be impacted by this change.
What's interesting about this list is the apparent prejudice against fictional and cartoon characters — although in reality, the passwords aren't banned because RIM has a prejudice against fans of Beavis and Butthead or Calvin and Hobbes, it's because the character names are so widely used, they're a security hazard.
Winnie-the-Pooh characters seemed to be a very popular choice with BlackBerry users, as Eeyore, Tigger, Rabbit, Piglet and Poohbear all made the list. Other fictional character names on the list include Mickey, Calvin, Butthead, Gandalf, Merlin and Snoopy.
BlackBerry's Canadian roots show through this list, too: Canada, hockey and Molson are all included.
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Here's the full list of prohibited passwords for BlackBerry ID, via Rapid Berry (note, some use strong language):
1=123456
2=12345678
3=123abc
4=a1b2c3
5=aaaaaa
6=abc123
7=abc123
8=abcdef
9=amanda
10=andrew
11=angel
12=asdfgh
13=august
14=avalon
15=bandit
16=barney
17=baseball
18=batman
19=biteme
20=brandy
21=buster
22=butthead
23=calvin
24=canada
25=changeme
26=chelsea
27=coffee
28=computer
29=cowboy
30=diamond
31=donald
32=dorothy
33=dragon
34=eeyore
35=falcon
36=fishing
37=football
38=freedom
39=fuckme
40=fuckyou
41=gandalf
42=george
43=harley
44=hello
45=helpme
46=hockey
47=iloveyou
48=internet
49=jennifer
50=jonathan
51=jordan
52=letmein
53=maggie
54=marina
55=master
56=matthew
57=merlin
58=michael
59=michelle
60=mickey
61=mike
62=miller
63=molson
64=Monday
65=monday
66=monkey
67=mustang
68=natasha
69=ncc1701
70=newpass
71=newyork
72=pamela
73=password
74=patrick
75=pepper
76=piglet
77=poohbear
78=pookie
79=princess
80=qwerty
81=rabbit
82=rachel
83=ranger
84=rocket
85=secret
86=service
87=shadow
88=snoopy
89=soccer
90=sparky
91=spring
92=steven
93=success
94=summer
95=sunshine
96=thomas
97=tigger
98=trustno1
99=victoria
100=whatever
101=wizard
102=zapata
103=blackberry
104=blackberryid
105=bbidentity
106=playbook
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