Popular passwords: Simple series of numbers and "hello" in first place
The increasing number of online services leads many users to choose simple passwords that are always the same, explained the HPI. This makes it easy for cyber criminals to gain access to important personal information. The institute's analysis shows that internet users have not become any more creative when choosing their passwords in recent years.
In sixth to tenth place in the ranking are "password", "password1" and "iloveyou". The results also indicate that cyber criminals use even the simplest passwords for bot farms or disinformation campaigns. According to HPI, this explains why passwords such as "target123" and "gwerty123" were used conspicuously often (eighth and tenth place).
Every year, the Hasso Plattner Institute publishes the most frequently used passwords in Germany - the data is based on millions of access data from the HPI Identity Leak Checker database, which are registered to email addresses with a .de domain and were leaked in 2023.
The HPI advises using long passwords with more than 15 characters and using different passwords for different services. The use of password managers can also increase security.
According to a survey conducted by the digital association Bitkom last week, people in Germany were less careful when choosing passwords last year than in the previous year. According to Bitkom, 74% of users used complex passwords with a mix of letters, numbers and special characters. A year ago, the figure was 83%.
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- Despite the HPI's recommendations for complex and unique passwords, many users in Germany continue to use simple passwords, often numerical series or words like "hello".
- The Hasso-Plattner-Institute, a popular research institution in Germany, publishes an annual list of the most frequently used passwords, which are often simple sequence numbers or phrases like "hello".
- In contrast to complex passwords with letters, numbers, and special characters, which were used by 74% of users last year, simple passwords, such as those placed higher in the ranking, are still commonplace among many internet users.
- The top place in the list of frequently used passwords is held by a simple series of numbers, followed by the word "hello", emphasizing the prevalence of simple password choices among internet users.
- However, users should be aware that choosing simple passwords like sequences of numbers or words like "hello" leaves their data vulnerable to cybercriminals who can easily guess or crack such passwords.
- Regarding password choices, it is crucial to prioritize complexity and uniqueness, avoiding popular and easy-to-guess phrases like "hello" or simple numerical series to secure personal information.
- According to a Bitkom survey, users in Germany have shown a decline in choosing complex passwords, moving towards simpler passwords, such as single words or sequences of numbers, potentially making them more susceptible to data breaches.
Source: www.stern.de
