Is Your Password Hackable? 20 Passwords You Shouldn’t Be Using

Is Your Password Hackable? 20 Passwords You Shouldn’t Be Using
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Intro

You need a password for everything – from your bank to your email, your electric car to your food delivery. Passwords are everywhere, and they’re not so easy to remember.
In fact, it’s estimated we each have around 100 passwords to remember, which is a lot when you think about how often you probably use them. That’s why lots of people tend to repeat passwords or choose ones that are easy to remember or take a good guess at.

The thing is, passwords that are easy for you to guess tend to be easy for a hack to guess, too. How do we reconcile the need to know hundreds of passwords while not actually making using your phone or computer a living nightmare? We’re going to look at:

  • The easiest hackable passwords in the world
  • Types of passwords that hackers are going to guess
  • How you can prevent your passwords from getting hacked

What are the most hacked passwords in the world?

When a hacker wants to try and get into your emails, your banking, or your online shopping accounts, they’re going to try the easy passwords first. There are quite a few very common passwords that people use, and they’re the ones fraudsters will try first before getting too smart.
We’ve dived into a range of sources and found some common patterns. Here are the top ten passwords that a hacker will probably try when they want to steal your data:

1. Consecutive numbers

How easy is it to just type in 123456789 or variations on that? If it’s that easy for you, it’s that easy for a hacker trying to get into your accounts.

2. Password

The word is right there on the screen as a prompt for your to remember. It’s super obvious, though, and anyone would think to try it when they want to hack you. It’s that much of a security risk that a lot of websites and apps won’t accept password as part of your security.

3. abc123

This one is as obvious as consecutive numbers. There are variations on the theme, such as abcd1234, when it’s a minimum eight-character code like on your WiFi router.

4. qwerty

The first six characters across the first line of your keyboard make up one of the most common passwords in the world. If it’s common, it’s hackable. Avoid using this type of password if you want to avoid being hacked.

5. iloveyou

It’s probably one of the most common things you say to your partner and family so it makes sense you’ll use it for a password. You’re not the only one – there are potentially millions of people using this to secure their money and data, so reconsider using it.

6. dragon

Dragons are culturally relevant in lots of parts of the world, and variations of this word in different languages are very common. Famous TV series in recent years have probably added to the popularity of this password, but it’s not a great idea.

7. sunshine

It’s a lovely thought that so many people have a bright, happy, positive password to protect their sensitive information. While you may think taking your inspiration from lovely days outdoors is special, you’re one in millions, and hackers know this, too.

8. monkey

Monkeys have cultural significance in some Asian cultures, so it’s understandable why people would pick this as a password. They’re cute, they funny, and they’re also very guessable for someone wanting to pretend to be you online.

9. superman

Lots of people use this comic book and cinematic superhero as their online password. You’re making a hacker’s life super easy with this one; don’t give the baddies any help!

10. 1qaz2wsx

At first glance, this password might seem pretty random. Look at your keyboard, though, and you’ll see how obvious this actually is. It’s the first two left lines of keys on your keyboard and is really easy for you to remember and for someone to guess.

What are the obvious choices for passwords that hackers can guess?

As well as standard words and numbers, there are questions that people tend to ask themselves when picking a password. This type of password can be relatively hard to guess, but with data mining, someone could have a good try to find out your security choice. These are some password types that you should aim to avoid:

1. Pets name

Do you use your first pet’s name as your password? Or your current pet’s name? If someone were to access your social media accounts, they probably would easily find this and give it a go-to hack you.

2. School name

Your first or last school are a common choice for a password. It’s also something you’re likely to have shared on social media like Facebook or LinkedIn. Be careful how much personal data you make public.

3. Sports team

Choosing your favorite football, basketball, or soccer team might seem easy to remember for your password – you watch them most weekends. It’s probably an allegiance you make public on social media, as well..

4. Favorite sport

After your sports team of choice, your sport or hobby of choice is likely to be a password choice. Again, this is something that someone could find out about you easily.

5. Mother’s maiden name

In years gone by, some banks and other organizations would specifically ask this question for security. While it’s not so common nowadays, old habits can die hard, and lots of people still use this password.

6. Favorite color

If it’s your favorite color, what are the chances that you’ll be wearing it or surrounded by it when logging into an account? It’s a simple prompt for you but also not really difficult for a criminal to figure out.

7. Child’s name

One of your children might have the honor of being your password of choice. Anyone who knows you or wants to find out about you will have an easy time figuring out your kids’ names.

8. Partner’s name

With iloveyou being so common, it’s no surprise the name of a partner is also a common and hackable password.

9. Favorite films

On lists of hackable passwords, you’ll find popular movie franchises, such as starwars. Dedicated fans are likely to choose something like this and it’s probably pretty easy to guess if you’re a major fan of a movie franchise.

10. Religious words

The name oy your god, deity, or place of worship is pretty common when it comes to passwords. If you’re public about your religious affiliations, it’s not hard for a hacker to guess what your password could be.

Improve your online security systems to prevent hacks

If you’ve seen some of your passwords as some of the most hackable, you’re probably pretty concerned right now. You should work through changing your passwords for the most sensitive accounts, like your banking and email. Then, consider following these tips:

  • Use a password manager like LastPass Dashlane so your securely harder-to-guess passwords
  • Use a VPN such as Surfshark to encrypt the data that you send and receive from your devices
  • Keep your phone and computer software up to date, so security patches are downloaded
  • Be skeptical of anyone asking for your details and passwords – your bank won’t ask you to click a link to change your security
  • When you choose a secure password that’s not easily hackable and protect your computer and phone with other security measures, you should reduce the chances of being hacked.

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