Share

Cybersecurity: the admin password is the most used in Italy. A danger to cybersecurity

Historic overtaking at the top of the ranking of the most used passwords in Italy: "admin" surpasses the numerical password "123456" for the first time. But it's not a good sign. Weak passwords remain easy targets for cybercriminals to crack. The ranking of the most used passwords and guidelines on how to choose an effective one

Cybersecurity: the admin password is the most used in Italy. A danger to cybersecurity

Change at the top of the password ranking most used in Italian. For 2023 in first place of most used passwords there is no “123456”, but "Admin". An often default (pre-set) password that many people do not change due to laziness or carelessness.

This is what emerges from the results of the analysis compiled annually by North Pass, a proprietary password manager launched in 2019 that has been around for five years Map password habits. The trend highlights the continued presence of online passwords characterized by weak and insufficiently secure choices.

In third place in the ranking is the word "password" while in the top ten we find "Password", "12345678", "123456789", "password99", "qwerty", "UNKNOWN" and "1235". Out of the (so to speak) best, great classics such as ciaociao, Juventus or francesco.

Passwords are easy targets for hackers

The ranking of the most common passwords should provoke reflections on poor awareness in the field of information security (cybersecurity). These passwords are, in fact, too simple and familiar and they can be "pierced" in just under a second by different types of cyber attacks (such as dictionary attacks or brute force attacks).

A worrying trend also emerges from the analysis: users use weaker passwords for account protection on media streaming platforms, while they opt for more passwords robust on financial services platforms. Additionally, about a third (31%) of the most common passwords in 2023 are numeric sequences.

Little changes globally

A Globally, the situation remains essentially unchanged, with the most common password continuing to be “123456”, followed by “admin” and “12345678”. This highlights that lack of prudence online knows no borders, confirming the persistence of insecure password choices on a global scale.

How to choose a more secure password

To reduce the risk of being compromised, it is always better to follow some rules to create more secure passwords that guarantee greater online protection.

Among the key points for an effective password there is to include the use of uppercase and lowercase letters, include numbers and symbols, and that it is at least 12 characters long.

Here some guidelines to follow:

  • Complexity: Use a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters. This variety makes the password more complex and difficult to guess
  • Length: A longer password is generally more secure. Try to use at least 12 characters
  • Avoid common words: Avoid using common words, names or easily guessed phrases. Choose a character sequence that is not easily associated with you
  • No personal information: Avoid using personal information such as names, dates of birth or phone numbers in your password
  • Don't use obvious sequences: Avoid obvious sequences like “123456” or “qwerty,” which are easy to guess
  • Uniqueness: Use different passwords for different accounts. This way, if one password is compromised, your other accounts remain protected
  • Update regularly: Change your passwords regularly, especially if you suspect an account may have been compromised

The ranking of the 20 most used passwords in Italy

Here is the ranking of top twenty passwords used in Italy with the time it takes to be deciphered.

StandingsName PasswordTime needed to decipher itHow many times is it used
1admin< 1 Second38,369
2123456< 1 Second14,335
3Password< 1 Second12,476
4Password< 1 Second10,281
512345678< 1 Second5,831
6123456789< 1 Second4,049
7password99< 1 Second3,847
8QWERTY< 1 Second2,688
9UNKNOWN17 Minutes2,539
1012345< 1 Second2,464
11bye Bye2 Seconds1,992
12Francis< 1 Second1,463
131234567890< 1 Second1,346
14Windows15 Seconds1,321
15Windows1020 Seconds1,262
16riccardo< 1 Second1,192
17corrado< 1 Second1,162
18francesca11 Seconds1,134
19Andrew< 1 Second987
20juventus< 1 Second975
NordPass Ranking 2023

comments