In the wake of the recent cyber-attacks on parliament, we have learned a lot. For starters, the reason Theresa May keeps saying “strong and stable” – it’s not merely her soundbite of choice, she was reminding herself what her password was.
After a group of hackers claimed responsibility for the attacks, representative Will Browes told the Rochdale Herald about how easy it was.
“Some of the passwords were really tricky,” he explained, “With Jeremy Hunt, there were a few things it could be, all relating to the destruction of the NHS, we got there in the end with ‘killtheNHS’.
As for Boris, the software has crashed three times already trying to figure out his.
But Theresa May, come on – every time she gives an interview or makes a speech, she says those same three words, strong and stable. First thing we put into the computer and it came up trumps.”
Acknowledged computer expert Hugh Esbee told the Herald, “it’s all well and good having a password that’s personal to you, but if you’re going to do that, don’t make it something easily guessed to anyone who’s ever heard you speak.”
The House Of Lords, meanwhile, was completely unaffected by these cyber-attacks.
When asked for comment, one lord Victor Ian Stan Dodds, said, “Cyber-attacks? What’s that all about then? Is this something to do with those newfangled typewriters that type the words onto a telly?”
Something like that, yes.
As for all those affected, we can only hope that they change their passwords soon to things that are more, well, strong and stable – without being strongandstable.
