Despite repeated warnings about cybersecurity, many Britons continue to use weak passwords that can be cracked in seconds, according to new research from NordPass. The password manager has revealed the most common passwords used in the UK, with '123456', 'admin', and even 'password' topping the list.
The top ten worst passwords include '123456', 'password', '123456789', '12345', '12345678', 'qwerty', '1234567890', '123123', '111111', and 'abc123'. NordPass found that password quality is equally poor across all age groups, with '12345' and '123456' being the most popular choices for every generation.
While there has been a slight improvement in password hygiene, with more people using symbols and capital letters, many are still opting for easily guessable variations such as 'P@ssw0rd', 'Admin@123', or 'Abcd@1234'. These are not sufficiently complex to thwart cybercriminals.
Karolis Arbaciauskas, head of product at NordPass, commented: "Despite all efforts in cybersecurity education, data reveals only minor improvements in password hygiene. The world is slowly moving towards passkeys, but until then, strong passwords are crucial, especially since around 80% of data breaches are caused by compromised, weak, or reused passwords."
To improve security, experts recommend using a complicated word combined with symbols, capital letters, and numbers. Avoiding common patterns and using unique passwords for each account can significantly reduce the risk of a breach.
