REVEALED: The top 20 most common passwords in Australia as experts warn ANYONE can be hacked after Optus chaos hit millions – so is yours on the list?
- Nord Security created a list of the most common passwords used by Aussies
- Data showed that the most common password in Australia in 2021 was ‘123456’
- Used more than 308,000 times and able to be hacked in less than one second
- It is recommended that you change your password every 90 days to be safe
- Australia has been rocked after 10million Optus customers were hacked
Aussies with predictable and lazy passwords have been put on notice with a new list by a global cyber security firm revealing the top 20 combinations – many of which hackers can crack in just one second.
Nord Security data found ‘123456’ was the most used password in Australia during 2021 with the basic security lock being recorded 308,000 times.
The second most common password was the embarrassingly simple ‘password’ – which featured 191,800 times.
Nord Security said even with the most unsophisticated hacker could break these passwords in under one second with a basic software program.
The revelations come as Australia is reeling from the worst data breach in Australian history with 10 million past and present Optus customers’ details compromised by hackers.
Aussies with predictable and lazy passwords have been put on notice with a new list by a global cyber security firm revealing the top 20 combinations – many of which hackers can crack in just one second (file image)
The firm says in order to protect your personal details, users are advised to create a password containing 12 characters with a combination of upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.
Another step that is highly recommended is to never use the same password for multiple platforms and devices and to change your combination every 90 days.
‘A single password for multiple accounts is a hacker’s delight,’ the company said.
‘If only one of the accounts is compromised, consider all your other accounts jeopardised.’
The often ignored and overlooked protocols of cyber security have been thrust square into the political spotlight this week in Australia, with government and business sectors in shock over the Optus ransomware attack.
Among data stolen was driver’s licence numbers, as well as passport details, Medicare numbers, dates of birth and home addresses.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has demanded the telco giant pay for new passports to be issued for the up to 10 million Australians whose personal data was stolen by the hackers.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong have called for Optus to pay for taxpayers’ passports after the data breach
Nord Security said even the most unsophisticated hacker could break a code like ‘123456’ in under one second with a basic software program
Foreign Minister Penny Wong wrote to the Optus CEO Kelly Bayer Rosmarin making the demand on Wednesday.
‘There is no justification for these Australians – or taxpayers more broadly on their behalf – to bear the cost of obtaining a new passport,’ Ms Wong said.
Millions of affected Optus customers are already queuing up for new Medicare numbers and driver’s licences as federal and state governments takes action to help those embroiled in one of the worst tech breaches to ever hit Australia.
Among the cache of information stolen from Optus were driver’s licence numbers, passport details, Medicare numbers, dates of birth and home addresses.
Health Minister Mark Butler claimed Optus had taken days to inform the government that some Medicare numbers had likely been compromised.
Data stolen in the Optus hack included drivers licence numbers, as well as passport details, Medicare numbers, dates of birth and home addresses
‘It’s deeply unfortunate that we were only notified that Medicare details were included in that data breach in the last 24 hours or so,’ Mr Butler told ABC Radio National Breakfast on Wednesday morning.
‘Right now, all the resources of government are going to protecting consumers in the face of this extraordinary breach of their personal data.’
Nord Security also revealed that Australia also ranked high on their risk index when compared with other countries across the globe.
Last year, there were more than 85 million passwords leaked across the country, a staggeringly high average of 3.312 per capita, according to the cyber firm.
Other countries that ranked high on the index included Russia, Canada and the US.
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