The password manager NordPass has released its sixth annual report on the most common passwords used for personal and corporate accounts. The report, created in collaboration with threat-management software NordStellar, reveals that people are still using incredibly basic and easily guessable passwords. According to the report, the most popular password in the world for both personal and corporate accounts is “123456,” used by more than 3 million people for personal accounts and over 1.2 million for corporate ones.
The report states, “‘123456’ has once again claimed the title of the world’s worst password! In fact, during this six-year study, it topped the charts as the most common password 5 out of 6 times. ‘Password’ held this not-so-noble title just once.”
The top five passwords for personal accounts are:
1. 123456
2.
password
3. 123456789
4. 12345678
5.
12345
The top five passwords for corporate accounts are:
1. 123456
2.
Commonly used weak passwords
password
3. 123456789
4. 12345678
5.
12345
Shockingly, it takes less than a second to crack any of these 10 passwords. NordPass reviewed and analyzed a 2.5TB database extracted from public sources, including those on the dark web. The data was organized by country of origin, covering 44 countries, and separated into corporate and personal credentials based on the associated email addresses.
To create stronger passwords, experts recommend using lengthy passwords that avoid easily guessed information, such as birthdays, names, and common words. Users should also refrain from reusing passwords across different sites. Password managers can help protect passwords without requiring users to memorize dozens of complex passwords, as they only need to remember one master password to access the password manager itself.
The report highlights the importance of using strong, unique passwords to protect personal and corporate accounts from potential security breaches. As cybercrime continues to rise, it is crucial for individuals and organizations to prioritize password security and adopt best practices to safeguard their sensitive information.
