UK's Most Common Passwords Remain Alarmingly Weak Despite Cybersecurity Efforts
According to NordPass's annual top 200 passwords list, the most common password used by UK users is 'admin', followed by '123456'. The UK's top 20 passwords are dominated by simple words, numbers, and keyboard patterns, including multiple variations of the word 'password' and numeric sequences like '12345678' and '123456789'. Globally, '123456' remains the most popular password, and similar patterns of weak password choices are seen across countries such as Australia, the US, and Germany.
Despite ongoing cybersecurity education efforts, improvements in password hygiene have been minor, with weak and reused passwords continuing to pose a significant security risk. Research from Virgin Media O2 reveals that four in five people reuse the same or nearly identical passwords across multiple online accounts, leaving them vulnerable to attacks.
Weak and reused passwords are responsible for about 80% of data breaches. Attackers frequently use dictionary-attack techniques to crack simple passwords, and password reuse increases the likelihood of compromising multiple accounts. To mitigate these risks, experts recommend creating long and strong passwords by combining three random words or mixing letters, numbers, and symbols. Users should avoid reusing passwords and should vary them for critical accounts such as banking, email, work, and mobile services.
Using password managers, often integrated into browsers like Apple iCloud Keychain and Google Password Manager, can help generate and securely store complex passwords. Additionally, enabling two-factor authentication on email and other important accounts adds an extra layer of security against unauthorized access.
