In a bid to prevent webmail accounts being hijacked, Microsoft will no longer allow its Hotmail service to be accessed using what it terms 'common' passwords. Examples include 'password', '123456' and 'ilovecats'. Simple passwords such as these make it easier for a hacker to gain access to a webmail account, then glean personal information or contacts. New users will be unable to select these passwords at registration; existing users will be asked to choose a stronger password. "At Hotmail, we know that account hijacking is a big problem, and we continue to work hard to prevent it," said Dick Craddock, group manager for Hotmail, in a blog post. "We've noticed a couple of things about hijacked accounts. First, many accounts have weak passwords that make them easy targets for hijackers," Craddock added. According to Microsoft, the ideal password is "long and has letters, punctuation, symbols and numbers". It urges users to select passwords with 14-plus random characters. They should not contain pass personal information, such as birth dates or anniversaries, or be based on words listed in the dictionary. Microsoft is also rolling out a compromise-detection system that lets Hotmail users report a friend's compromised account. It on the alerts to other webmail providers, including Yahoo and Google's Gmail. "When someone's account gets hijacked, their friends often find out before they do. The hijacker uses it to send spam or phishing email to all their contacts," said Craddock.
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