Your business’s passwords are still too weak

Be truthful. Do you still use at least one password like “12345” or “password123”?

If you do, you’re not the only one.

However, that doesn’t make it acceptable.

Despite numerous warnings from IT professionals (like myself), weak passwords remain prevalent. This presents a significant issue, as they are one of the simplest methods for cybercriminals to infiltrate your business systems.

You’d be surprised at how many businesses still use passwords that can be cracked in under a second.

Recent studies show that the most common business password is still “123456”.

Following closely are “123456789”, “password”, and the ever-popular “qwerty123”.

These aren’t just lazy choices; they’re open invitations for hackers.

What’s more concerning is that it’s not just large corporations making this mistake. Small and medium-sized businesses are also at fault. They often suffer more when breaches occur because they lack the resources for recovery.

A single stolen password can give an attacker access to your email, files, financial systems, or even customer data.

The impact? It can be severe, both financially and reputationally.

You might think, “We don’t have anything worth stealing.” Trust me, you do. Even if you’re a small team, your accounts, client information, and communications are valuable targets. Cybercriminals don’t discriminate; they seek easy victories. Weak passwords are the simplest win.

Here’s the catch: Even if you’re not using “123456”, that doesn’t mean your passwords are secure. Research also found people using their own email address or name as a password (eye roll). Some even opted for phrases like “iloveyou”.

It’s all very endearing… until a hacker exploits it to infiltrate your systems.

So… how can you safeguard your business?

Begin by ensuring everyone uses strong, unique, randomly generated passwords. This means longer phrases with a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols. Avoid anything predictable.

No one wants to memorize 30 complex passwords. That’s where a password manager is useful. It can generate highly secure passwords for every login and store them safely, so your team doesn’t have to rely on memory (or sticky notes).

Even better, consider activating two-factor authentication. This involves receiving a code on your phone or app during login. Even if a password is stolen, access is denied without that second code. It’s one of the simplest and most effective ways to enhance security.

For future-proof security, explore passkeys. These offer a new login method without traditional passwords, using biometrics like fingerprints or facial recognition, or secure device-based authentication. It’s safer, simpler, and rapidly becoming the standard.

Ultimately, strong passwords—or better yet, password alternatives—are your primary defense. Don’t wait for a security incident to take them seriously. If your team is still using “abc123”, it’s time for a change.

Need assistance reviewing your password policy or setting up a secure login system for your team? My team and I would be happy to help. Contact us.