Cybersecurity Warning: Check Now If You’re Using One of the 20 Most Common Passwords Found on the Dark Web

Do you think your password is strong enough to protect your online data? It's possible that your default password is easier to guess than you think.

A recent report from mobile security company Lookout indicated a list of 20 passwords most commonly found in the leaked account information on the dark web. Most of them are easily recalled and typed.

According to online password manager NordPass, people tend to use passwords that are easier to remember because the average person has more than 100 distinct online accounts protected by passwords.

However, simple passwords may give hackers easy access to one's online account and information.

How Strong is Your Password?

In a blog post about cybersecurity warnings, Lookout said that 80% of consumers, on average, got their email access leaked onto the dark web.

You may check out if your password is in this list of the ones most commonly seen on the dark web due to data breaches:

123456

123456789

Qwerty

Password

12345

12345678

111111

1234567

123123

Qwerty123

1q2w3e

1234567890

Qwertyuiop

Iloveyou

666666

DEFAULT

Abc123

654321

123321

As per CNBC, cybersecurity experts recommend using stronger passwords. If your password is on the list above, change it to something more difficult to guess. You may choose something longer than the minimum number of required characters and utilize unusual characters - such as punctuation marks or other symbols - in place of letters and numbers.

National Institute of Standards and Technology of the U.S. Commerce Department also recommends using multifactor authentication to keep your online account safe.

It can be more difficult to regain control of a compromised email account per PC Mag. You'll need to contact the email provider and verify that you're the rightful owner of the account. Of course, if the hacker changes your password, you won't be able to contact the provider using your usual email. Hence, it's recommended to have multiple email addresses, each of which serves as an alternate contact email for the other.

A Timely Concern

The concern about cybersecurity arises amid the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian conflict. Experts say that there is a surge in cyberattacks globally. Hence, many U.S. financial institutions fear that hackers could attack them.

The FBI and US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency recently advised critical infrastructure firms to be alert following data-destroying cyberattacks in Ukraine before the Russian invasion.

According to a report by CNN, cybersecurity experts discovered a data-wiping hacking tool on hundreds of systems belonging to the Ukrainian government and banking institutions within hours before Russian forces initiated an invasion of Ukraine early Thursday. The malicious code is intended to wipe data from computers and render them inaccessible, which could obstruct businesses attempting to stay online during a crisis.

Authorities advise the public that destructive malware can present a "direct threat" to the daily operations of a company that could affect data and other important assets. "Further disruptive cyberattacks against organizations in Ukraine are likely to occur and may unintentionally spill over to organizations in other countries," the FBI and US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency said.