Nov 14, 2024 - Technology

What are the most commonly used passwords in 2024

Angrej Singh

Illustration of a magnifying glass over the US flag stripes revealing a password — Illustration: Eniola Odetunde/Axios

The world's most commonly used password of the year is "123456," according to a new report from enterprise password manager NordPass.

Why it matters: Common, short passwords are vulnerable to hacking because they're easier for cybercriminals to guess or crack using automated tools that try millions of password combinations quickly.

In NordPass' sixth year of analyzing people's password habits, there hasn't been much improvement — and the problem is as prevalent as ever.

Zoom in: Researchers found that there's a life and work overlap, where common personal passwords that people use are nearly identical to the ones they use at work, meaning that if your personal passwords are weak or stolen, your company network becomes vulnerable.

Other popular passwords that are easy to hack, leaving your personal data vulnerable to cybercriminals, include "secret," "password," and "qwerty123" on the top global list.
People in the United States commonly use "baseball" and "football" as passwords, while those in the United Kingdom often use "liverpool" and "arsenal."
NordPass suggests passwords should be at least 20 characters long and include a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and special symbols. Avoid using the same password for multiple sites or services; if one account is compromised, others could be at risk.

Go deeper: Exclusive — Companies flock to passwordless tech

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What are the most commonly used passwords in 2024

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