In a stark revelation, NordPass, the leading password manager vendor, has revealed the most commonly used passwords in its annual list. This reveals a disturbing global trend in maintaining password hygiene.
Although several warnings have been issued in the past amidst an evolving world of cyber threats, it seems that there’s still a door for improvement in choosing passwords among global internet users.
In the previous year, the phrase ‘password’ topped the list of the most commonly used terms as passwords. Although this dropped to the seventh position, the latest report shows that users have opted for even more vulnerable choices this year.
For instance, the password ‘123456’ now tops the global list, which makes their accounts even more susceptible to security breaches. Some other common phrases following this password closely are ‘12345678’, ‘admin’, and ‘123456789’. These patterns are pretty guessable, which makes their accounts susceptible to malicious players and cybercriminals.
Although most of these passwords can be cracked in a second, there’s a unique password on this list that cybercriminals may take up to 17 minutes to crack — ‘UNKNOWN’.
Nordpass Evaluates Regional Trends In Commonly Used Passwords
Nordpass has carried out a strategic evaluation of regional trends, which reveals that internet users in the US are likely to use more generic passwords. ‘Shitbird’, however, is an exception that somehow managed to make its way to the list of the top 20 most common passwords.
Several sports and team-related passwords have emerged in the top ranks, alongside some other words like ‘dragon’ and ‘cheese’.
Internet users in the UK, on the other hand, opt for common phrases like ‘chelsea’, ‘arsenal’, ‘liverpool’, and even ‘football’.
NordPass has advised users to use longer passwords, explaining its importance. They also advise incorporating mixed-case characters, symbols, and numerical values in passwords. The company also recommends using password generators to produce random and complex strings of passwords that cannot be cracked easily.
NordPass also expressed concerns about the negligence of streaming platforms on password security. Experts say that users are choosing weaker passwords for their streaming accounts when compared to passwords under other categories.
This negligence proves to be a serious threat to users since malicious players are increasingly targeting these platforms.
Tips To Use Strong Passwords In Online Accounts
In light of the worrying trend, experts suggest some tips to strengthen your passwords for online accounts.
It is advisable to use longer passwords and mix alphabets of both upper and lower cases. A combination of symbols and numbers makes it challenging for cybercriminals to crack the passwords.
Never use the same password to manage multiple online accounts. Every account should have a unique password. Cybersecurity experts also advise against reusing passwords and applying them to different accounts.
Use password generators that help you come up with unpredictable combinations. This further boosts security and removes any predictable pattern from the phrases.
Make sure to update your passwords regularly to mitigate the risk of unauthorized access. As a thumb rule, consider changing your passwords every three months.
Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) to boost your security stance, as it serves as an additional layer of security.
With these guidelines, you can refrain from using common passwords and strengthen your online security posture. Since instances of security breaches are mounting, it pays to remain vigilant on the commonly used passwords and update yours.
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