The Passwords They are the first line of defense of digital identity, both personal and professional. However, Millions of users They continue to use keys weakas names, dates easy to deduce or simple Keyboard sequences.
According to the annual company report NordPassthe most used passwords in the world remain “123456”, “123456789” and “12345678”. They also include among the most common terms such as “password”, “Qwerty123”, “111111” or “Secret”, keys that experts warn can be deciphered in less than a second.
This pattern is repeated globally. The “123456” password leads use in countries such as Spain, Germany, France, China, Taiwan, Saudi Arabia and even in nations with high digital culture, such as Estonia or South Korea. In USAthat key is surpassed only by “Secret.”
NordPass Update these data for six years from the analysis of the 200 most used credentials in 44 countries. The information comes from public access databases, including sources from the so -called deep Internet, not including personal data.
Every first Thursday in May the World password dayan initiative to raise awareness about the importance of using robust keys. It is estimated that password weakness is behind almost half of the cyber attacks.
Users and companies fail
The problem is not limited to the personal sphere. Companies also suspend: They frequently use passwords such as “123456”, “123456789”, “Qwerty1” or “1Q2W3E4R5T”. These keys, easy to guess, can be violated in seconds.
Alicia Fernández, cybersecurity technique of the National Institute of Cybersecurity (INCIBE) of Spain, recalls that after a password sensitive information is protected: bank data, mails, personal archives, contacts and other elements likely to be used in frauds or impersonations.
Fernández recommends avoiding the use of the same password for several accounts and suggests updating it regularly. To facilitate their management, it advises the use of specialized applications that store them under a safe master password.
Among its main recommendations are:
- Create long passwords, at least 14 characters
- Include uppercase, lowercase, numbers and special characters
- Avoid personal data such as names or birth dates
- Do not use keyboard sequences or common words
“A shield against invisible threats”
Hervé Lambert, responsible for Global Consumer Operations of Panda Security, emphasizes that a password is not only a procedure to access accounts, but a shield that protects against invisible threats. “Dedicating a few minutes to creating a robust key is an act of digital survival,” he told Efe.
Lambert warned that, although artificial intelligence has brought improvements in cybersecurity, it also represents a threat, facilitating faster and faster attacks. Therefore, he recommends lifting “digital walls” through strong passwords.
Among its suggested methods is the use of personal phrases turned into keys, such as MiprimCorocoeraungolf88yloraba! or use the initials of a significant sentence for the user, such as EUDDEMQEDSW1984!.
Eva María López Granero, of the cybersecurity company S2 Group, agrees that strong passwords are an investment in security, privacy and tranquility. In addition, it highlights the importance of combining them with two -step verification methods, such as SMS codes or facial recognition, to add an extra protection layer.