The Need for Strong Passwords.
Passwords are the keys to your online accounts, but many people use weak and common passwords that can be easily hacked. In this blog post, we will look at some of the most common passwords used worldwide and why they are not secure. We will also give you some tips on how to create strong and complex passwords that can keep your online accounts and personal information safe.
The most common passwords used worldwide
According to a report by Nordpass, a password manager service, the most common passwords used worldwide in 2021 were simple and easy-to-guess combinations of numbers, letters, or keyboard patterns. These passwords are not secure and can be cracked by hackers in a matter of seconds. The top five most common passwords used worldwide in 2021 were:
- 123456 – used 103,170,552 times
- 123456789 – used 46,027,530 times
- 12345 – used 32,955,431 times
- qwerty – used 22,317,280 times
- password – used 18,520,844 times
Other common passwords include names of sports, pets, celebrities, or loved ones. For example, according to a list compiled by Parade, a lifestyle magazine, some of the most common passwords used in the United States in 2021 were:
- baseball
- football
- soccer
- jordan23
- iloveyou
- monkey
- shadow
- princess
These passwords are not unique and can be easily guessed by hackers or found in data breaches. According to a list by Wikipedia, an online encyclopedia, some of the most common passwords from data breaches were:
- password
- abc123
- qwerty
- 111111
- iloveyou
- adobe123
- photoshop
- trustno1
Using these passwords can put your online accounts and personal information at risk. Therefore, it is recommended to use strong and complex passwords that are hard to crack.
How to create strong and complex passwords
A strong password should have at least eight characters and include a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. It should also be different for each account and changed regularly. Here are some tips on how to create strong and complex passwords:
- Use a passphrase instead of a single word. A passphrase is a sentence or phrase that is easy to remember but hard to guess. For example, you can use “I love chocolate cake” as a passphrase and then replace some letters with numbers or symbols to make it more secure. For example: “1L0v3ch0c0l@t3c@k3”.
- Use a password generator. A password generator is a tool that can create random and secure passwords for you. You can use a password manager service like Nordpass or LastPass to generate and store your passwords securely.
- Use a password manager. A password manager is a tool that can store and manage your passwords for you. You only need to remember one master password to access all your other passwords. A password manager can also help you change your passwords regularly and alert you if your passwords are compromised. You can use a password manager service like Nordpass or LastPass or an app like Dashlane or 1Password to manage your passwords.
- Avoid using personal information or common words in your passwords. Personal information like your name, date of birth, address, phone number, or pet’s name can be easily found online or guessed by hackers. Common words like “password”, “qwerty”, or “iloveyou” can be easily cracked by dictionary attacks or brute force attacks. You should also avoid using keyboard patterns like “123456” or “asdfgh” or repeating characters like “aaaaaa” or “111111” in your passwords.
- Avoid using the same password for multiple accounts. If you use the same password for multiple accounts, you are putting all your accounts at risk. If one of your accounts is hacked or breached, the hacker can access all your other accounts with the same password. You should use a different password for each account and make sure they are not similar or related to each other.
By following these tips, you can create strong and complex passwords that can protect your online accounts and personal information from hackers.
Passwords are the keys to your online accounts, but many people use weak and common passwords that can be easily hacked. In this blog post, we looked at some of the most common passwords used worldwide and why they are not secure. We also gave you some tips on how to create strong and complex passwords that are hard to crack.
