13 Passwords Hackers Love and How to Avoid Them

How’s this for a terrifying thought? There’s a very real chance that hackers and cybercriminals already know your passwords. Yep, the codes you use for banking, email, social media – everything could be vulnerable. Sounds crazy, but it’s absolutely true if you’re using any of the 13 passwords on this list.

These are the absolute worst, most insanely common and predictable passwords that hackers have already cracked wide open. They’re easy-peasy for skilled code-breakers to guess. Using any of them is just about the same as handing over your private info to total strangers.

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The good news? There’s an easy solution that’ll lock down your online life and add tons of security. All you have to do is avoid these 13 laughably weak passwords like the plague and level up with smart, tough-to-crack codes.

123456

If 123456 is your password, you might as well just tell hackers, “Please break into my accounts!” This is the most commonly used, insanely weak password of all time. Cybercriminals have cracked it literally millions upon millions of times.

Using this sequential string of numbers offers absolutely zero real security at all. It couldn’t be any more obvious and easy to guess. Avoid this lazy default password at all costs if you want to keep your online existence safe and private.

password

Yep, using the actual word “password” as your password takes a lack of security to a whole new level of ridiculousness. This has to be just about the dumbest, most rookie mistake in the book. It’s basically just leaving your accounts wide open and saying “Hey hackers, come on in!

“This dumb code is probably the first one cyber criminals try when attempting to break into any account. Do yourself a huge favor and replace this terrible password now with something much, much harder to guess.

12345678

Okay, so you took the first painfully obvious password and just tacked two more sequential numbers on the end? Nice try to be a little trickier, but still an incredibly weak and insecure password.

Any hacker worth even a fraction of their virus-writing skills will burn through this one in an instant. You need to get way more random, unique, and illogical with your password to stay safe. This one’s just too predictable.

qwerty

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While not quite as egregiously lazy as “password,” using “qwerty” isn’t much better for security. This one comes from the first six letters on a standard keyboard – so you can easily see why it’s considered massively insecure.

Way too many people use qwerty as their go-to password, making it a top target for hackers to exploit. If you want to keep your accounts locked down, mix it up with numbers, capital letters, and symbols to keep it safe.

abc123

Yet again, just spelling out letters or numbers in consecutive order is just asking for trouble from criminal hackers. They’ll easily deduce this dumb abc123 password before you can say “I’ve been hacked!”

If your password code looks like any kind of recognizable pattern, change it as soon as possible to something illogical. Patterns are the enemy of strong security.

monkey

While random words may seem harder to guess than obvious codes, hackers have spent years deconstructing super common dictionary words like “monkey.” Don’t think this furry little password is unique and secure – it gets cracked daily by pros.

The key to strong passwords is to pick more obscure words and mix them up with numbers, symbols, and capitalization.

letmein

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Okay, this horribly insecure password literally translates to “Please let hackers into all my accounts whenever they want easy access.” It’s a friendly request that cybercriminals are all too happy to oblige!

Change this awful password to something infinitely much harder if you have even an ounce of care for your online security and privacy. Don’t make it this easy.

trustno1

While having a cynical philosophy of not trusting anyone is typically wise, using it as your password is incredibly unwise and downright stupid!

Smart hackers have this one loaded into their databases as a big red flag for accounts to prioritize targeting. Replace this lousy code now with a password that doesn’t mock online trust and security.

dragon

Sure, dragons are cool mythical creatures. But using the word as your password is just an awful choice that doesn’t fly when it comes to security. The word “dragon” is just too common and obvious for crafty hackers to ignore when running attempts at breaking codes.

If you love dragons, find a much more complex way to represent your mythical passion in an updated new password.

sunshine

Another very common word that just doesn’t cut it at all for basic password security and safety. Hackers will easily and repeatedly run “sunshine” against accounts until they eventually find matches and gain access.

Like a warm sunny day, this hack is easy and happens all too often. Switch your lame password to something bright yet not obvious to keep your accounts under lockdown.

princess

Yet another widely-used, terribly insecure password that offers barely any meaningful protection at all. “Princess” might seem unique and personal at first glance, but it gets cracked constantly by code-breakers.

Just like in fairy tales, printing this weak password puts you in peril. Make like Rapunzel and let down a much tougher layer of security around your accounts!

admin

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Surely you can’t be this unforgivably lazy with your personal passwords? Using a dumb default like “admin” is an absolute rookie mistake that makes hacking into accounts almost too easy.

It’s one of the very first passwords that criminal hackers will try over and over again. If this has been your code, choose infinitely harder passwords ASAP – or just face losing control of your accounts permanently.

1234567

Seriously, just adding one extra number to the absolute most common and guessable password of 123456 doesn’t help much at all in the security department.

Using 1234567 as your password might as well be the numeric code for “Please hack me!” Step your password game up big time if this is what you currently use before criminals take full advantage.

At this point, there’s really no excuse to be using any of these awful passwords. They’ve been absolutely blown wide open by hackers and cybercriminals. Sticking with those laughably weak codes is an open invitation for your accounts to get breached

The solution is simple – avoid these 13 lousy passwords like they’re infectious viruses. Replace them immediately with tougher codes that are truly random and unique to you. The longer and weirder the password is, the better it will withstand any hacking attempts.

Mix up tons of capital and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols into passwords that look like crazy gibberish. Or string together random words you’ll actually remember.

Just whatever you do, don’t use any of the garbage codes on this list anymore. That’s a recipe for getting your identity and accounts compromised.

Be smarter and stay safer by leveling up your password game today. Your online security depends on it!

Joy Fadogba

Joy Fadogba is a passionate writer who has spent over a decade exploring and writing about lifestyle topics. With a fondness for quotes and the little details that make life extraordinary, she writes content that not only entertains but also enriches the lives of those who read her blogs. You can find her writing on Mastermind Quotes and on her personal blog. When she is not writing, she is reading a book, gardening, or travelling.