Many people in the Czech Republic continue to use insecure and easy-to-crack passwords. Experts warn that a single compromised password can be enough to gain access to email accounts, social networks or even banking services.
Passwords have long become part of everyday life – whether for email inboxes, streaming services, social networks or online banking. Nevertheless, many users repeatedly use the same combinations or even a single password for all their accounts. This is exactly what makes things particularly easy for cybercriminals.
According to the telecommunications provider O2, citing data from NordPass, “Heslo1234”, “admin” and “123456” remain among the most commonly used passwords in the Czech Republic. Worldwide, similar combinations such as “12345678” or simple keyboard patterns like “qwerty” continue to dominate.
Particularly concerning: younger users also perform no better when it comes to password security. Analyses show that people from the so-called digital generation often use similarly weak passwords to older age groups. For automated attacks, such combinations can often be cracked within just a few seconds.
According to security experts, many problems are caused not by highly complex hacking attacks, but by everyday carelessness. This includes, above all, using a single password for multiple services. If that password falls into the wrong hands through a data breach, attackers can gain access to numerous other accounts within a short period of time.
Simple combinations of numbers or names also continue to pose a major risk. Programmes used for automated password cracking can identify such variants within moments. Experts also view handwritten passwords on slips of paper or in notebooks, as well as login details that remain unchanged for years, as highly problematic.
Another security issue is sharing passwords with other people. Even well-intentioned sharing can result in login details being spread uncontrollably or misused.
Security experts therefore recommend using a separate and preferably long password for each service, while also enabling two-factor authentication. Even a few small changes in everyday digital habits could significantly reduce the risk of a successful attack.
