SCARS Institute’s Encyclopedia of Scams™ Published Continuously for 25 Years
Most Hacked Passwords Revealed
Exposed as UK cyber survey exposes gaps in online security
The U.K. National Cyber Security Centre’s (NCSC) global hacked password risk list
- Breach analysis finds 23.2 million victim accounts worldwide used only ‘123456’ as a password
- Global password risk list published to disclose passwords already known to hackers
- SCARS and the NCSC urge using 3 random words as passwords
Why is password reuse a problem?
Because they easily turn into hacked passwords!
Password reuse is still a major risk for individuals and companies. The password ‘123456’ has been found 23 million times in the breaches that was collected. You might think that choosing a more complex password such as ‘oreocookie’ is better, but even that has been seen over 3,000 times.
Attackers commonly use lists like those of easily hacked passwords when attempting to breach a perimeter, take over an account, or when trying to move within a network to potentially less well-defended systems. It’s especially common in networks where there’s a corporate component. In such deployments, attackers have been able to breach the corporate network and move laterally to the internal network due to poor network segmentation, where a single weak point (such as a password from one of these lists on a box in a DMZ) has enabled traversal. In the first occurrence of the TRITON/TRISIS malware, the attacker breached the external perimeter VPN and then pivoted internally using RDP due to poor segmentation.
But they also do exactly the same things to take over social media accounts, access online banking, or many other accounts of high value to cybercriminals.
More than half of the people online do not use a strong, separate password for their main email account! Email is one of the most valuable accounts users have!
They were all easy for hackers, bots, and automated password breakers to guess and apply to gain access to important accounts.
Upgrade your passwords NOW! Learn more about passwords here.
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Table of Contents
- Common Passwords That Hackers Already Know
- Is Yours In The List?
- Most Hacked Passwords Revealed
- Exposed as UK cyber survey exposes gaps in online security
- Why is password reuse a problem?
- More than half of the people online do not use a strong, separate password for their main email account! Email is one of the most valuable accounts users have!
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Important Information for New Scam Victims
- Please visit www.ScamVictimsSupport.org – a SCARS Website for New Scam Victims & Sextortion Victims
- Enroll in FREE SCARS Scam Survivor’s School now at www.SCARSeducation.org
- Please visit www.ScamPsychology.org – to more fully understand the psychological concepts involved in scams and scam victim recovery
If you are looking for local trauma counselors please visit counseling.AgainstScams.org or join SCARS for our counseling/therapy benefit: membership.AgainstScams.org
If you need to speak with someone now, you can dial 988 or find phone numbers for crisis hotlines all around the world here: www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines
A Note About Labeling!
We often use the term ‘scam victim’ in our articles, but this is a convenience to help those searching for information in search engines like Google. It is just a convenience and has no deeper meaning. If you have come through such an experience, YOU are a Survivor! It was not your fault. You are not alone! Axios!
A Question of Trust
At the SCARS Institute, we invite you to do your own research on the topics we speak about and publish, Our team investigates the subject being discussed, especially when it comes to understanding the scam victims-survivors experience. You can do Google searches but in many cases, you will have to wade through scientific papers and studies. However, remember that biases and perspectives matter and influence the outcome. Regardless, we encourage you to explore these topics as thoroughly as you can for your own awareness.
Statement About Victim Blaming
Some of our articles discuss various aspects of victims. This is both about better understanding victims (the science of victimology) and their behaviors and psychology. This helps us to educate victims/survivors about why these crimes happened and to not blame themselves, better develop recovery programs, and to help victims avoid scams in the future. At times this may sound like blaming the victim, but it does not blame scam victims, we are simply explaining the hows and whys of the experience victims have.
These articles, about the Psychology of Scams or Victim Psychology – meaning that all humans have psychological or cognitive characteristics in common that can either be exploited or work against us – help us all to understand the unique challenges victims face before, during, and after scams, fraud, or cybercrimes. These sometimes talk about some of the vulnerabilities the scammers exploit. Victims rarely have control of them or are even aware of them, until something like a scam happens and then they can learn how their mind works and how to overcome these mechanisms.
Articles like these help victims and others understand these processes and how to help prevent them from being exploited again or to help them recover more easily by understanding their post-scam behaviors. Learn more about the Psychology of Scams at www.ScamPsychology.org
Psychology Disclaimer:
All articles about psychology and the human brain on this website are for information & education only
The information provided in this article is intended for educational and self-help purposes only and should not be construed as a substitute for professional therapy or counseling.
While any self-help techniques outlined herein may be beneficial for scam victims seeking to recover from their experience and move towards recovery, it is important to consult with a qualified mental health professional before initiating any course of action. Each individual’s experience and needs are unique, and what works for one person may not be suitable for another.
Additionally, any approach may not be appropriate for individuals with certain pre-existing mental health conditions or trauma histories. It is advisable to seek guidance from a licensed therapist or counselor who can provide personalized support, guidance, and treatment tailored to your specific needs.
If you are experiencing significant distress or emotional difficulties related to a scam or other traumatic event, please consult your doctor or mental health provider for appropriate care and support.
Also read our SCARS Institute Statement about Professional Care for Scam Victims – click here to go to our ScamsNOW.com website.
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