ECONOMY & WORK
MONEY 101
NEWS
PERSONAL FINANCE
NET WORTH
About Us Contact Us Privacy Policy Terms of Use DMCA Opt-out of personalized ads
© Copyright 2023 Market Realist. Market Realist is a registered trademark. All Rights Reserved. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.
MARKETREALIST.COM / NEWS

Cybersecurity firm reveals the 10 most common passwords of 2024 — see if yours is on the list

The list clearly shows that lessons have not been learned despite the surge in cyber-crime.
PUBLISHED OCT 14, 2024
Image Source: Getty Images: Oscar Wong
Image Source: Getty Images: Oscar Wong

As the pandemic accelerated digitization across the globe, cybercrimes also went up at an alarming rate in the years that followed. Although that should naturally prompt people to protect their data and accounts with stronger passwords, an analysis by NordPass suggests that it's sadly not the case. It turns out that the most common online passwords used around the world are the easiest to guess as well.

Representative image | Unsplash | Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya
Representative image | Unsplash | Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya

Surprisingly Common Passwords

Nord Security analyzed a vast database of online passwords, with the help of its password manager NordPass for the fifth straight year. In a discovery that should raise the alarm, it found that 123456 was the most common online password. 



 

Despite several warnings, it has topped the list for the third time in 5 years and was only beaten by another common combination 12345, in 2019, and something as basic yet unpredictable as “password”, in 2022.

Other than that, below are the top 20 most common passwords, and for those who find theirs in the list, it may be a good time for an update.

1. 123456

2. admin

3. 12345678

4. 123456789

5. 1234

6. 12345

7. password

8. 123

9. Aa123456

10. 1234567890

11. 1234567

12. 123123

13. 111111

14. Password

15. 12345678910

16. 000000

17. admin123

18. 1111

19. P@ssw0rd

20. root

Apart from passwords, the most common four-digit PINs that often protect financial assets are also easy to guess and were spotted in another cybersecurity study. 

Most Common 4-digit PINs

Data Genetics presented the data on the most exploited PINs originally compiled by the late Nick Berry. About 3.4 million such PINs were analyzed to create a comprehensive map in association with Data is Beautiful. 



 

Following the trend of the most common passwords, '1234' emerged as the most common four-digit PIN. Second on the list was another easy-to-guess combination of '1111', making up about 6% of all the PINs. The PINs '0000', '1212', and '7777' rounded off the list of the top 5 most common PINs. 

Why  Strong Passwords Matter

While easy-to-remember passwords are convenient, they also are easy to crack for cyber criminals who even use sophisticated software to breach accounts in seconds. These tools are often freely available on the dark web, making it easy for anyone to exploit non-vigilant users.



 

Even without software, criminals can comb through social media profiles to look for important names and dates for decoding passwords. Even celebrities have fallen victim to hackers who gained access to their public accounts to cause damage. 



 

How to Set Strong Passwords?

It is rather easy to create strong passwords that can also be remembered well. The CISA, America's cyber defense agency has laid out three simple steps that can help people set strong and unique passwords. 

Firstly, the CISA recommends that a password should at least have 16 characters. Using longer combinations of words, numbers and characters make passwords safer. 

The second step is to use a string of mixed-case letters, numbers, and symbols. Using a memorable phrase of 4 – 7 unrelated words and combining it with numbers and special characters is a good tactic. 

The third and final thing to do is to use different passwords for different accounts. Using the same password for multiple accounts puts people at a greater risk.



 

If it gets too confusing, users can also opt for tools like a Password Manager that helps them store and remember passwords easily. This is better than writing passwords down or saving them on a computer as they are safely stored and often encrypted.

MORE ON MARKET REALIST
Harrison knew it was too good of a collection to let go, and he decided to raise the stakes.
6 hours ago
The guest who had little no idea about his family heirloom was shocked to know its significance.
7 hours ago
Despite making a higher than usual offer, Harrison failed to close the deal.
10 hours ago
The guest regretted that she wouldn't be able to keep the highly valued item in her home anymore.
11 hours ago
They also triggered a showdown between Mark Cuban and Daniel Lubetsky before closing the deal.
1 day ago
As Heather took a second to solve the final puzzle, Seacrest admitted she made it look easy.
1 day ago
Carey suffered a similar snafu a few months ago while playing the same game of 'Bullseye'.
2 days ago
Fans also share some tips that could've helped Bain win the bonus round but it was too late.
2 days ago
Emily Croke coincidentally got the question related to her great-great aunt, Emily Folger.
2 days ago
Luckily for the veteran host, no one in the studio caught the mistake on time.
2 days ago
The executive producer of the show, Michael Davies later apologized for the spoiled show.
2 days ago
Even the seasoned expert was stumped by the unusual subject of the painting.
2 days ago
In the end, Mr Wonderful cut off Greiner with a deal that the founder of Wad Free couldn't refuse.
3 days ago
Seacrest got geniunely spooked as he couldn't figure out who played a prank on him.
3 days ago
The seller brought some "Secret Service" memorabilia of former Attorney General J. Howard McGrath.
3 days ago
The guest was already emotional because of the backstory involving native Alaskans.
4 days ago
The player once again fumbled a puzzle despite moving forward in the game.
4 days ago
The host didn't want to get more of the weird answers on the show anymore.
4 days ago
The founder of Beyond Sushi impressed the Sharks with 100% plant based flavors.
4 days ago
The Shark jumped back in to the deal as he thought his wife would love the product.
5 days ago