Password statistics show that the average internet user has dozens of protected accounts with the most sensitive and confidential information from their work and personal life. So, everybody needs a good password to protect their digital identity.
However, creating secure passwords and remembering them all can be difficult. Therefore, many people end up with identical and weak passwords across many accounts. The figures below reveal startling trends that may cause you to reconsider your online behavior.
Top Password Facts (Editor’s Choice)
- “qwerty” is one of the ten most common passwords
- 83% of US internet users have weak passwords
- One in ten people in California has a former roommate, colleague, or partner’s password
- 27% of people have attempted to guess someone else’s password
- Over 37% of people admit they never change their passwords
- The US had 1,001 cases of data breaches in 2020
- 30% of people use a password manager
- Social media hacking instances have increased by 13% in the past years
Password Trends in the US
1. “123456” is the most common password.
(Cyber News)
Analysis of over 15 billion passwords revealed the most common combinations:
- 123456789
- qwerty
- password
- 12345
- qwerty123
- 1q2w3e
- 12345678
- 111111
- 1234567890
In light of this, the increase in data breaches and cyber attacks isn’t surprising.
2. 59% of adults use a birth date or a name in their online account’s password.
(Google, ID Agent)
Other common passwords include pets’ names in 33% of the cases, the individual’s name in 22%, and their partner or spouse’s name in 15%. Password statistics also show children’s names account for 14% of the cases, and the most frequently used one is “maggie.”
3. 79% of online users combine words and numbers to create passwords.
(Security)
Research shows that over half of the people only make minor alterations to old passwords to create new ones. Alternatively, 27% use random password generators for this purpose. Overall, in 64% of the cases, the password length is between eight and 11 characters.
4. 83% of people have weak passwords.
(Avast)
Most often, people fail to use special characters, numbers, upper and lower case letters, or more than ten characters in their passwords.
Password breach statistics note that over half of the users haven’t checked whether their email address has been affected. Consequently, less than one in four people has changed their passwords after a data breach.
5. 6% of US people still have the password of a former roommate, colleague, or partner.
(Google)
People tend to give out their passwords without worrying. For example, password facts reveal that one in ten online users in California still has a password of a former acquaintance, and half of Hawaiians know the active password of someone else’s account.
6. 27% of people have tried to guess someone else’s password.
(ZDNet)
What’s more, 17% of those who attempted guessed the passwords. Therefore, it’s safe to assume that everything from social media profiles to banking accounts is hackable. Guessing your password is even easier if the hacker knows you.
Password Safety Statistics
7. Over 50% of people have the same password for multiple accounts, but not all.
(Google)
Furthermore, 13% use one password everywhere, compromising their safety. On the bright side, 35% use different passwords for all their accounts. As for security software, 79% of people think regular updates are necessary, but 33% fail to do so.
8. People reuse each password 14 times on average.
(Government Technology)
Password security statistics show that reusing a password puts all accounts that share it at risk. Furthermore, when asked to update their password, almost half the people only modify a character or place a digit.
These aren’t the only bad practices—42% of organizations still use sticky notes for password management.
9. Over 32% of people consider using the same password everywhere “not that serious” problem.
(Specops)
On the positive side, nearly 35.5% think that using the same password is a serious problem. Additionally, password statistics point out that over 19% think it’s very serious. On the other hand, a little under 13% have never thought about it.
10. 37% of online users admit they’ve never changed their passwords.
(Specops)
Moreover, only about 3.5% of people change their passwords once every two years, and the same percentage of users updates them twice a year.
According to facts about passwords, almost 35% change their passwords only when they forget their old ones. At the same time, a little over 10% changes them every year, and another 10%a site makes them.
11. 59% of people depend on their memory when managing passwords.
(Business Wire)
Pen and paper is the second most common way of dealing with passwords, preferred by 33% of the people. Password stats reveal that, alternatively, 28% use documents on a computer.
Furthermore, password management software, like 1Password, is a popular choice for another 28%. Finally, email is the least preferred method, with 19%.
12. 30% of people use a password manager.
(Business Wire)
This data results from a 2021 global survey conducted among 1,600 people from the US, Australia, the UK, and Japan. Over half of the respondents say they don’t use a password manager, while 15% claim they used one in the past, but not anymore.
Social Media Hacking Statistics
13. The rate of hacking social media accounts has increased 13% since 2019.
(TBS, CPO Magazine)
The hacking rate of social media and other internet accounts is over 28% compared to 15% in 2019. Cybercriminals focus on these platforms because it’s effortless to spread malware to numerous people through ads, plug-ins, and sharing buttons.
14. 22% of internet users had their social media accounts hacked at least once.
(McAfee)
Password cracking statistics show that about 14% of people have been hacked more than once. The first and most vital thing to do in such a situation is to change the password immediately. If you have used the same one for other profiles, replace it everywhere.
Also, it’s advisable to check if that account contained any personal information. Furthermore, look for other signs, like new games or apps being installed, and delete them if you find any.
15. According to Google password statistics, 20% of social accounts will eventually be compromised.
(Zero Fox)
Updating your passwords regularly and using different ones for your accounts can protect them from being hacked. Also, two-factor authentication brings an extra layer of security.
Other essential tips to follow are avoiding clicking on suspicious offers, downloading unsolicited apps, particularly ones that ask to post instead of you, and giving your credentials to anyone.
Such precautions are necessary as nobody is protected by default. For example, the information of 533 million Facebook users was leaked in 2021.
16. Business password statistics reveal that 33% of companies worldwide experience one to ten social media attacks a year.
(Statista)
Furthermore, 4% of organizations witness over 100 attacks yearly. Moreover, 19% are victims of 19 to 25 attacks, 16% experience between 26 and 50 attacks, and 11% face between 51 and 100 attacks.
However, 14% have no such troubles, which means that attacks can be avoided with the proper safety measures in place.
Password Hacking Statistics
17. Nine in ten internet users are concerned about someone hacking their passwords.
(One Welcome, Password Manager)
That comes as no surprise, as 23 million worldwide accounts still use “123456” for a password. Furthermore, despite the effectiveness of password managers, 65% of people in the US don’t trust them. In fact, 34% are concerned that their password manager might get compromised.
18. 60% of people would spend up to $60 to have the highest level of online security.
(Ponemon Institute)
Data shows that people are most worried about protecting personal information. However, less than 50% added an extra protection layer apart from a username and password.
19. In the US, there were 1,001 data breach cases in 2020, statistics show.
(Statista, CNBC)
Unfortunately, these data breaches exposed 155.8 million records. However, until July 2020, the number of data breaches was 33% lower than the previous year.
The most significant data breach so far was revealed in 2016, when hackers attacked Yahoo and compromised around 3 billion accounts.
20. The average data breach cost in 2021 was $4.24 million.
(Security Intelligence)
This figure is the highest ever recorded and shows a 10% increase from the previous year. Quicker response times are closely linked to lower data breach costs, but the remote work tendency during the pandemic impacted that.
For instance, if a breach is contained in less than 200 days, the costs are around 30% lower. Unfortunately, a data breach takes an average of 280 days to detect and stop.
Conclusion
The data on secure passwords indicates that individuals are becoming more aware of the significance of strong, secure passwords. However, password safety facts suggest many users still rely on weak passwords, exposing themselves to unnecessary risk.
Instead of going for the first thing that pops into mind, choose a complex and secure password. Cybercriminals continuously attempt attacks on individuals and businesses to obtain personal information.
Given the numbers above, it’s evident that we need to pay more attention to the flaws in our password management practices and make use of the tips professionals in the field recommend.
People Also Ask
We all have many passwords to manage across all the platforms and services we use. A study notes that recently, the mean number of passwords per user has increased.
Even though it may seem unlikely, the average person has 100 passwords. The best way to keep track of all of them is by using a reliable password manager.
Cyberattacks and data breaches are becoming increasingly prevalent, so making sure you adequately protect your online information is critical. As we’ve learned from the data above, one way to achieve that is by having a solid password.
Although many people know this, the most common passwords include “qwerty,” “password,” “12345,” “123456,” and “123456789.” That’s the primary reason why so many internet users get hacked every year.
To succeed in today’s technological environment, everyone must use strong passwords that are tough to crack. A safe password has three characteristics—complexity that’s achieved by using special characters, length of about 12 symbols, and uniqueness.
Finally, to protect the passwords, don’t write them down on a piece of paper. Instead, you can use a password manager to ease the task.
Passwords secure the things vital to us, like personal information, money, privacy, and even our identities. So, passwords protect against illegal activities, but it’s our responsibility to choose a secure and hard-to-guess combination of characters and numbers.
Also, make sure you use different passwords for all your accounts. Password managers are an excellent choice, so you don’t need to remember them all but still have secure access to every account you have.
Weak passwords make you an easy target for hackers and can provide access to your account or system, compromising sensitive information. A strong password is a one-of-a-kind word or phrase that would be difficult to guess or crack.
It should consist of at least 12 characters, including numbers, lowercase and uppercase letters, special symbols, punctuation, and numbers. It should also be unpredictable and unique.
Despite a series of high-profile data breaches recently, US users still fail to create strong passwords. In fact, the words “password,” “qwerty,” or “123456” have been used as passwords by 24% of them.
As a result, cybercriminals use this to try and enter accounts by brute force, guessing other passwords using personal information, and acquiring leaked credentials on the darknet to log in. Password statistics show that it’s best to use a combination of letters and numbers to be safe.
