Worst passwords of 2023 include some familiar favorites. See the list. (2024)

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With this list, hacking doesn't seem that hard.

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Worst passwords of 2023 include some familiar favorites. See the list. (1)

PSA: Don't write your password on your hand, and don't make it some variation of "password."Credit: Getty Image

When it comes to strong passwords, we never seem to learn.

Cybersecurity experts have been telling us for years what not to use for passwords, and yet, "123456" and "password" still top the list. This week, NordPass published its fifth annual list of the 200 most common passwords — and there are some repeat offenders. The password manager evaluated 4.3 terabytes of data related to cybersecurity incidents and the top passwords are truly lacking in originality. Here are the top 10:

  • 123456

  • admin

  • 12345678

  • 123456789

  • 1234

  • 12345

  • password

  • 123

  • Aa123456

  • 1234567890

According to NordPass's findings, all of these passwords took less than a second to crack.

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Further down on the list are some slightly more creative passwords. Ranked at 136 is "iloveyou" (aw) and at 183 is "changeme." So, still not great.

Lock up those streaming apps

This year, NordPass dug a little deeper into the data and analyzed password strength by platform category. Streaming services have some the weakest credentials when compared to other sites. Perhaps to make it easier to share with friends and family despite Netflix's best efforts? Unfortunately, this also makes it ridiculously easy for hackers; 86 percent of cyberattacks come from stolen credentials.

Related Stories

  • Save 90% on a lifetime subscription to this password manager
  • Just get a password manager already — here are the best options

Once again, let's review how to create a strong password

  • Passwords should be long and complex, with uppercase and lowercase letters, symbols, and numbers, and never anything related to easily guessable information, like birthdays, addresses, or phone numbers.

  • It's tempting, but don't reuse the same password for multiple sites. If hackers get their hands on it, they automatically have access to everywhere else it was used. NordPass also recommends taking the time to review existing passwords and update ones that are weak or repeated.

  • Wherever possible, try to use passkeys instead of passwords. Passkeys are unique codes, tethered to your device, making them much more secure and less susceptible to breaches. More and more companies like Apple, Microsoft, Google, and Amazon are adopting passkey support as a safer alternative.

  • Last but not least, consider getting one of the best password managers, which can create randomized passwords for you and then store them securely. pa

That said, password managers have been subject to breaches, so do your homework educate yourself on how password managers keep your credentials secure. Last year, LastPass was hacked, but password data was encrypted and remained secure, since only users are able to decrypt their credentials with their master password.

TopicsCybersecurityPrivacy

Worst passwords of 2023 include some familiar favorites. See the list. (2)

Cecily Mauran

Cecily is a tech reporter at Mashable who covers AI, Apple, and emerging tech trends. Before getting her master's degree at Columbia Journalism School, she spent several years working with startups and social impact businesses for Unreasonable Group and B Lab. Before that, she co-founded a startup consulting business for emerging entrepreneurial hubs in South America, Europe, and Asia. You can find her on Twitter at @cecily_mauran.

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Worst passwords of 2023 include some familiar favorites. See the list. (2024)

FAQs

Worst passwords of 2023 include some familiar favorites. See the list.? ›

Examples of weak passwords in 2023 include Welcome@123, P@55w0rd, and Abc@1234. As you can see, these passwords lack creativity and remain surprisingly easy to guess. Don't be lazy! Do not just use a favourite phrase and exchange characters with symbols or numbers.

What is the weak password in 2023? ›

Examples of weak passwords in 2023 include Welcome@123, P@55w0rd, and Abc@1234. As you can see, these passwords lack creativity and remain surprisingly easy to guess. Don't be lazy! Do not just use a favourite phrase and exchange characters with symbols or numbers.

What are the top 5 passwords to avoid? ›

Some of the highest-ranking, yet weakest password words and numbers include:
  • 1234567890.
  • 111111.
  • P@ssw0rd.
  • abc123.
  • Password1.
  • test.
  • guest.
  • Welcome@123.
Dec 25, 2023

What's the worst password? ›

National Cyber Security Centre
Rank2019
1123456
2123456789
3qwerty
4password
16 more rows

What is a strong password no one can hack? ›

Tips for creating strong passwords
  • Never use personal information such as your name, birthday, user name, or email address. ...
  • Use a longer password. ...
  • Don't use the same password for each account. ...
  • Try to include numbers, symbols, and both uppercase and lowercase letters.

What is a poor password? ›

Weak passwords contain dictionary words and phrases, making them more susceptible to dictionary attacks. Any password that contains personal information like your date of birth, your mother's maiden name and so on is also considered weak.

What is the most common hacked password? ›

The 15 Most Common Passwords
  • p@ssw0rd.
  • 12345.
  • Qwerty123.
  • 1q2w3e.
  • 12345678.
  • 111111.
  • 1234567890.
  • Q2w3e4r5t.

Is 1234567890 a good password? ›

3. Third, make your password longer – preferably over 10 characters. And no, even though it has 10 characters, 1234567890 doesn't qualify. In addition to being long, your password should have a combination of numbers, letters, and symbols.

What is a strong password 2023? ›

Always Include Letters, Numbers, and Symbols

@#$%^&*()_+. While the NIST password guidelines do not necessarily require special characters, it's still generally a good practice to include them.

What are 5 weak passwords? ›

It is better to avoid using these passwords, and if you already are using one of these or something similar, it's advised to change them immediately.
  • 123456.
  • 12345678.
  • 123456789.
  • 12345.
  • 1234567.
  • password.
  • 1password.
  • abc123.
Jan 1, 2024

What is a bad example of a password? ›

Qwerty123: This password does combine letters and numbers, but it's still extremely weak due to the common, predictable order of those letters and numbers. LoveAngel: Terms of endearment are another characteristic that can land a password on the most frequently hacked list.

What password should I not use? ›

Simple passwords, such as 12345, or common identifying information, like birthdays and pet names, are not safe for protecting important accounts holding personal information. Using an easy-to-guess password is like locking the door but leaving the key in the lock.

What is the number 1 used password? ›

Something simple, short and predictable. Astonishingly, those are also the characteristics of the world's most common online password, which is 123456, according to online password management company NordPass.

What is the bad password? ›

Prohibited combinations; for example, sequences of characters that match the company's or the user's names. Specific bans: for example, passwords must not start with a “1”, contain a straight sequence of numerals (“12345678”), or match some easily guessable pattern (date, phone number, license plate number), and so on.

What is the rarely used password? ›

The least used passwords are those that are complex and unique, containing a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Examples of such passwords are: D3f@ultP@ssw0rd.

Which password is the weakest? ›

Thus, they remain the worst passwords you can set for your online accounts. Examples of ill-conceived passwords include 123456, password, and qwerty, which is the set of the first 6 alphabets on a laptop or smartphone keyboard. Some other styles of similar patterned passwords include 123456789, 111111, and 1q2w3e.

What is very weak passwords? ›

The easiest passwords to remember are simple words, places, dates, or easy-to-type text strings. Favorite sports teams, cities, names, birthdays and even strings like “12345” or “qwerty” are very commonly used. These are all weak passwords.

What is the most difficult 4-digit password? ›

A: The hardest 4-digit password is 8068. It is one of the strongest numeric passwords available. Other commonly used 4-digit passwords are 1234, 0000, and 2580. To create the strongest 4-digit password, experts recommend combining numbers, symbols, and capital letters for a secure password that is difficult to guess.

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