The worst passwords of 2020: Is yours on the list?

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Username: Hack Me, Password: 123456

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(Image credit: krisanapong detraphiphat/Getty Images)

Nordpass has put out its yearly list of the most common passwords and some will have you shaking your head or checking your grandparent's computers to see how hackable they are. 

The worst password list compiled by Nordpass is created by collecting data on how many times certain passwords have been used, exposed, and how long they would take to be cracked. 

Before we move forward, let's share the top 10 worst passwords so we can all either giggle or race to our devices. 

  1. 123456  
  2. 123456789
  3. picture1
  4. password
  5. 12345678
  6. 111111
  7. 123123
  8. 12345
  9. 1234567890
  10. senha

Now, in the year of our computer overlords 2020, there were (you're not going to believe this) 2,543,285 people that used the 123456 as their password which, by the way, was exposed 23,597,311 times and only takes one second to crack. Why even use a password equivalent to writing your pin number on the back of your debit card with a sharpie and leaving it at a bus station in a smiley-faced envelope with a note that says "enjoy shopping"? Oddly, this terrible password has for years been a repeat offender used by millions. 

A newcomer, according to NordPass, is "Picture1", which the company says will take three hours to be cracked but was still cracked 11,190 times. Coming in at number four on the list is the infamous "Password". Using a password as your password marks you as either arrogant or one in need of updating your personal list of "this is clever." By the way, those who used "Password" had their personal information exposed a whopping 3,759,315 times. 

Obviously, we're all not password-creating geniuses, or in most cases, we really don't have the time to sit and think it out much so we use the first thing we come up with. There are several password generators and managers out there to help. Google Chrome has a password manager that always offers users what they deem "Strong" password options when setting one up. Apple has iCloud keychain and there are plenty of others. Always use a mix of letters, numbers, and alphanumeric symbols and some even suggest changing passwords regularly. 

Mark Anthony Ramirez
Mark Anthony Ramirez

Mark has spent 20 years headlining comedy shows around the country and made appearances on ABC, MTV, Comedy Central, Howard Stern, Food Network, and Sirius XM Radio. He has written about every topic imaginable, from dating, family, politics, social issues, and tech. He wrote his first tech articles for the now-defunct Dads On Tech 10 years ago, and his passion for combining humor and tech has grown under the tutelage of the Laptop Mag team. His penchant for tearing things down and rebuilding them did not make Mark popular at home, however, when he got his hands on the legendary Commodore 64, his passion for all things tech deepened. These days, when he is not filming, editing footage, tinkering with cameras and laptops, or on stage, he can be found at his desk snacking, writing about everything tech, new jokes, or scripts he dreams of filming.