December 14th 2024.
Do you still use a password that is easily hackable? It may seem obvious to avoid using "password" as your password if you want to keep your accounts safe from hackers. However, according to new research from NordPass, it has been found to be the most commonly used password in the UK this year, leaving people vulnerable to cyber attacks. Surprisingly, the second and third most used passwords are "qwerty123" and "qwerty1", respectively.
The list of top 20 most used passwords in the UK also includes popular football teams such as "liverpool", "arsenal", "chelsea", and "rangers". "Liverpool" ranks at number four, "liverpool1" at number nine, "arsenal" at number ten, "chelsea" at number 12, and "rangers" at number 18. The fourth spot goes to the simple number sequence "123456", followed by "123456789" at number six and "password1" at number seven. Even further down the list, but still in the top 20, are the names "charlie" and "charlie1".
These findings are concerning as most of these passwords can be cracked by cybercriminals in less than a second. The researchers at NordPass, a password manager service, compiled this list using a database of leaked passwords from the internet and dark web, totaling 2.5 terabytes. They found that 21,128 UK accounts used the word "password", while 7,338 accounts used "password1". Additionally, a staggering 17,415 accounts used the number sequence "123456".
Not only are personal accounts at risk, but the research also revealed that a large number of corporate accounts are using easily hackable passwords. In fact, the top three most popular passwords for work accounts worldwide were "123456", "123456789", and "12345678". Shockingly, "123456" was used for a whopping 1,233,477 work accounts. The research also showed that many corporate accounts are still using default passwords, making them an easy target for hackers.
One common mistake that people continue to make is using the same password for multiple accounts. According to Karolis Arbačiauskas, head of business product at NordPass, this is due to the convenience of password reuse. However, using the same password for different accounts poses a significant risk. If a hacker manages to gain access to one of your accounts, they will most likely try to use that same password for your other accounts as well.
To ensure strong cybersecurity hygiene, Mr. Arbačiauskas recommends using a different password for each account and making sure they are at least 20 characters long. This makes it much harder for hackers to crack your password. However, he advises against using a password like "1234567891234556789123456789", as it is still easily guessable.
In addition to using unique and lengthy passwords, it is also important to avoid using popular culture references, such as band names, as your password. While the top spot for the most commonly used pop culture password may surprise you, it is best to steer clear of using any easily guessable phrases.
In conclusion, it is crucial to prioritize strong and unique passwords for all of your accounts to protect yourself from cyber attacks. This article was originally published on November 15, 2024, and serves as a reminder to regularly update and improve your passwords to ensure your online security.
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