Using strong passwords for online accounts is a basic security measure that helps protect your information. But a new list from NordPass shows that that important message still seems to be not being properly conveyed to people.
The list of popular passwords is still led by “123456”
NordPass recently released its annual list of the 200 most popular passwords.
The most common password is “123456”. This password has been used more than 3 million times in the data. And it took hackers less than a second to crack it – a huge security problem.
In the top 10 there are other quite familiar options such as “password”, “qwerty123” and “111111”. Some other options include “tinkle”, “monkey”, “dragon” and “iloveyou”.
What's interesting is that the report sorted passwords from 44 countries, and you can see the most popular choices for each country. For example, in Canada, “hockey” is 18th on the list. While in the UK, “arsenal” ranked 10th.
And Internet users are no more careful when protecting information in the workplace. The report listed the most common business passwords, and the list of the top 10 most common passwords was almost identical.
Even if you're using strong security measures, it's worth taking the time to look at the entire list to see how sloppy people are when creating passwords.
NordPass and NordStellar reviewed and analyzed a 2.5TB database extracted from various public sources, including those on the dark web. No personal data is collected or traded to conduct research.
How to improve password security
If you're using one of the passwords on the list, you should make some changes. There are several ways you can quickly improve the security of your password.
The most effective and easiest way is to find a password manager. It's a central, secure storage location for your password information. While you're on your search, prioritize these password manager features to help manage all your logins.
If you're an Apple fan and Mac user, you can easily switch to Apple Passwords, a new app that's completely free and easy to use on Apple devices and even Windows.
And if you're looking for a more secure way to protect your information, it's time to start using passkey.
