What’s your password? Discover the most frequently used passwords, with many hackable in less than a second
“123456” remains the most popular password, holding the top position in five out of six years of NordPass’s common password analysis.
Nowadays, passwords are necessary for everything from bank accounts and social media to streaming services and even smart appliances. Managing a long list of passwords can be challenging, just like creating secure and unique ones.
This year marks the sixth time NordPass, a web-based password manager, has published a list of the 200 most commonly used passwords, highlighting those that users should evade due to their vulnerability to hacking.
NordPass teamed up with NordSteller, a threat exposure management platform, to compile this list. Together, they analyzed 2.5 terabytes of data from 44 countries, sourcing information from publicly available materials, including the dark web. Their investigation focused on passwords that had been compromised through malware or data breaches (without any personal data being scrutinized).
Here are the 50 passwords that are used the most
The following chart displays the 50 most frequently used passwords across all 44 nations surveyed, many of which can be hacked in under one second.
If you can’t view the chart in your browser, check it out at https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/20357372/.
Is ‘123456’ your password? It’s time to think about changing it
NordPass reports that “123456” has dominated as the most popular password in five out of the six years since its analysis began. This simple six-digit number even outpaces the timeless classic, “password.”
Tips for creating a strong password
NordPass advises users to create passwords that are at least 20 characters long, even if a website only requires a password with eight characters.
Strong passwords should include a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters like “%,” “!” and “@.” Avoid using easily guessed details such as names, birthdays, or common terms.
Additionally, never reuse passwords across different sites.
What’s the best method for storing passwords?
Password managers, such as NordPass, are considered the best solution for securely storing passwords, according to the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre. These tools safely save passwords on users’ computers or mobile devices, generating and remembering passwords for various online accounts once users log in.
Most web browsers also offer the option to save passwords, which is secure as long as it is done on a personal device.
