For most users, passwords are all that is protecting your files, data, and apps from unauthorized access. Yet, people still tend to use passwords that are too easy to guess, and even easier for software tools to crack.
If you don’t believe this to the case, check out the NordPass Top 200 Passwords of 2020. The NordPass top 200 lists the most common passwords used globally, along with how long it takes for someone/some machine to crack it. The majority of the passwords on the list can be cracked in 1 second or less.
The methodology used by NordPass was to evaluate a 4TB database compiled by cyber security researchers from 50 countries. The NordPass site allows you to view results globally, from a single country, and compare 2 countries as well. For Canada, “123456” and “password” were ranked 1 and 2, but not surprising, "hockey" came in at number 11. These 3 passwords can be cracked in under 1 second.
If you see your password on the list, you need to change it. Other things you should do include:
- Instead of relying on a single word, try to come up with 3 or 4 random words.
- Use multifactor authentication wherever possible. Even if a hacker can crack your password, they still need that other factor to break in.
- If trying to remember multiple unique passwords is a problem, use a password manager to safely keep all your passwords together. Some password managers are also good at generating random passwords.
If you own a business, you know that strong passwords to access your corporate systems are very important. If you need help implementing strong password policies, or even just advice on password best practices, contact the experts at Quick Intelligence. Quick Intelligence, along with the cyber security experts at QuickProtect will advise you on how to protect your business from unauthorized access.
