A new cybersecurity report analysing over 2 billion breached accounts reveals that simple, easily guessable passwords like ‘123456’ and ‘India@123’ continue to dominate, posing a massive global security risk.
Key Takeaways
- ‘123456’ was the most breached password, used by over 7.6 million people.
- The password ‘India@123’ ranked 53rd globally, highlighting a specific regional vulnerability.
- Basic human laziness remains the primary reason for compromised accounts.
World’s Most Breached Passwords
According to the research, the top spot for the most common password is held by ‘123456’. Other predictable choices leading the breach list included ‘admin’, ‘password’, ‘123’, ‘1234567890’, and ‘Aa123456’.
The study specifically highlighted ‘India@123’ as a major concern, showing poor security practices among a significant number of Indian users.
The Dangers of Weak Passwords
The persistent use of weak passwords makes account guessing trivial for cyber attackers. This negligence has had real-world consequences. In a separate incident, the core security system of the Louvre Museum in France was found to be protected by the easily guessed password “LOUVRE”.
How to Create Strong Passwords and Stay Safe
Security experts recommend the following crucial steps to enhance your online security:
- Ensure passwords are a minimum of 12 characters long.
- Use a combination of uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.
- Avoid using personal information like names of family members, pets, or fictional characters.
Most online services recommend complex passwords with special characters. Additionally, activating (2FA) is highly recommended to secure your accounts and neutralize the threat from a leaked password.
