Your Password Might Be Too Easy Crack: Full List of America's Weakest Passwords, 6 Tips to Improve

Until now, hundreds of hacking issues and security exploits are being reported online. The reason for all this vulnerability might be simpler than you'd expect. NordPass revealed the most common passwords U.S. citizens use for login credentials, all of which could easily be cracked under one second.

Passwords are necessary to any online account. When signing up, a webpage registers your account based on the email, username and password provided. Keep in mind that the password is the first line of defense for any account. A simple password that malicious actors can easily guess means quick access to a hacked account.

Full List of America's Weakest Passwords

This week, password manager NordPass released its annual list for the "top 200 most common passwords." The team got this data by working together with cybersecurity researchers and evaluating four terabytes of data from 50 countries. Its list reveals the passwords used, the time to crack it, and the number of users using it.

Here are the top 10 passwords used in the internet and how many people actually use it:

1. "123456" has 103,170,552 users.
2. "123456789" has 46,027,530 users.
3. "12345" has 32,955431 users
4. "qwerty" has 22,317,280 users.
5. "password" has 20,958,297 users.
6. "12345678" has 14,745,771 users.
7. "111111" has 13,354,149 users.
8. "123123" has 10,244,398 users.
9. "1234567890" has 9,646,621 users.
10. "1234567" has 9,396,813 users.

Note that all of these passwords take less than a second to hack. Because of its simple and straightforward sequence, cybercriminals who use automated tools could certainly crack open accounts using these passwords.

Farther down the list, Mashable highlighted the common passwords used based on themes. People who like sports typically use "liverpool" and "arsenal." Car enthusiasts use "Ferrari" and "Porche." Some animal lovers use "dolphin." Emotional words like "iloveyou" and "fuckyou" were also listed.

How to Improve Password and Account Security

To avoid falling victim to hacking, TechRepublic gave out a few helpful reminders for securing an online account.

1. Use complex passwords: These passwords must contain at least 12 characters, in a varied combination of upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. There are online tools like the strong password generator, which can provide great suggestions.
2. Don't reuse passwords: Although tempting, avoid using the same password for all online accounts. This saves the other accounts from being hacked in a situation where the hacker successfully gets one of the passwords.
3. Update the password regularly: Experts recommend changing passwords every three months. If remembering these passwords proves to be too difficult, write them on paper and hide it in a safe spot.
4. Check the password strength: A password will gain maximum strength well all the indicators previously mentioned are complied.
5. Use multifactor authentication: Aside from a written password, spread the security of your account through SMS validation.
6. Use a password manager: This is a helpful tip to anyone who has more than one online account. It aside from remembering the password, a good password manager will also give out regular security tips.