Popular passwords then vs. today

The IT security company Nord Security has published its annual study of the 200 most popular passwords . Last year the password: “123456” was the most popular. The currently most popular password shows that it can be even easier than this series of numbers, which is simply called “password”. Last year's winner only slipped to second place in the current ranking.

The current top 20 passwords that you should NOT choose:

  1. password
  2. 123456
  3. 123456789
  4. guest
  5. qwerty
  6. 12345678
  7. 111111
  8. 12345
  9. col123456
  10. 123123
  11. 1234567
  12. 1234
  13. 1234567890
  14. 000000
  15. 555555
  16. 666666
  17. 123321
  18. 654321
  19. 17777777
  20. 123

Such passwords are no longer possible today. Why?

If you create a password for a portal these days, you know that passwords are no longer as easy as they used to be. They almost always simply reject simple passwords like “123456” or “000000”. More creativity and, above all, more memory are required. Good passwords should usually consist of a mix of at least 8 letters, numbers and special characters.  

The fact that these 20 passwords still make it into the top 20 today is probably because they were created many years ago and are unfortunately still used.

How was this password ranking determined?

Yes, passwords are secret and should remain secret. That's why the list of the most popular ones was not generated from all existing secret passwords, but was taken from databases that come from leaks or hacks. Because 83 percent of the 200 most common passwords can be hacked in under a second. So if you don't want your online accounts to be hacked, you should no longer use the simple passwords you created many years ago and still use. Change it quickly! For this you can e.g. For example, you can also use the Nord Pass password generator Or you can just dare to be really creative and create complicated patterns on the keyboard.

What do the experts recommend? How should passwords ideally be designed?

1.) “Long and complex is the motto
A password is complex if it is at least 12 characters long and contains a mixture of lower and upper case letters, numbers and symbols. The easiest way to create such complex passwords is to use a password generator

2.) Don't reuse passwords
An identical password used for multiple accounts makes it much easier for hackers. Once one of your accounts is hacked, all of your other accounts are immediately at risk as well.

3.) Regular account checking
Regularly check which accounts you still use and which you haven't logged into for a while. Unused accounts can pose a threat to your online security, as hacks can sometimes go unnoticed.”

4.) Checking password strength and regularly updating it
Check your password quality regularly. Detect weak, reused, or old passwords and improve your online security with new ones.

5.) Can you use a password manager?
Using a password manager to securely store your passwords and access them just as securely is the easiest and most efficient way to increase your overall security on the Internet.”

Source: Nord Security

Source:

Nord Pass, Nord Pass password generator , Nord Pass password quality , Nord Pass password manager

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Notes:
1) This content reflects the current state of affairs at the time of publication. The reproduction of individual images, screenshots, embeds or video sequences serves to discuss the topic. 2) Individual contributions were created through the use of machine assistance and were carefully checked by the Mimikama editorial team before publication. ( Reason )