Why You Should Never Use 123456 as Your Password
It seems that people just can’t seem to stop using the number 123456 as their password of choice. A recently released report showed that 123456 topped the list of most common passwords used in 2019, and according to researchers, it will remain the number one password throughout 2020 as well. If you use this highly unsecure password, you might want to reconsider your selection – or at least make it more complicated. Here are five reasons why you should never use 123456 as your password, and how to choose a better one instead.
123456 Tops List of Most Common Passwords
If you’re one of the millions of people who use 123456 as your password, you might want to consider changing it. According to a new report, 123456 is the most common password used by people around the world. A survey conducted in December 2018 showed that over 11% of respondents were using this simple password. Other popular passwords included password (8%), 12345678 (7%), and 111111 (6%). These four passwords account for 24% of all responses. The company has now released their list of the top ten most popular passwords for 2020. The most frequent password is qwerty which accounts for 2%. Other popular passwords include letmein at 1%, 123456 at 1%, and password at 0%.
4 Reasons Not to Rely on a Password Manager
- They’re not foolproof. Just like any other software, password managers can have security flaws. In fact, there have been a few high-profile security breaches of popular password managers in recent years.
- They’re not free. If you want to use a reputable password manager, you’ll likely have to pay for it.
- They’re not always convenient. You may need to download and install the app on your phone or computer. And if you share your device with someone else, they may be able to see your passwords without your knowledge.
- They don’t work on all sites. While many sites will allow you to log in using the username and password from a password manager, others will require that you manually enter your credentials each time.
5 Tips to Choose Strong Passwords
- Avoid using easily guessed words like password or your name.
- Make your password long – at least 8 characters.
- Use a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.
- Don’t use the same password for all your accounts.
- Change your passwords regularly.
What Else Can Be Done?
If you’re still using passwords like 123456 or password, it’s time for a change. These are the most common passwords of 2020, according to the security firm NordPass. And that means they’re also the first passwords hackers will try when they get their hands on your account information. So before you know it, all your private and personal information could be exposed to anyone with an internet connection. The best thing we can do is make sure our passwords are not only complicated but easy to remember so we don’t have to write them down anywhere where someone else might find them.
Experts Weigh In…
According to security experts, the worst password you can use is 123456. Why? It’s simple, easy to remember, and easy to guess. Hackers know this, which is why it’s one of the most common passwords they try when they’re trying to break into accounts. A word that starts with a letter, then contains four numbers. They don’t have to work hard at all to get your account because it doesn’t take much effort for them to guess this combination. Even though you might be thinking that nobody could ever know what your password is – hackers are smart and have come up with software that automates guessing by looking for those types of combinations.
