How secure is my password? Use this test to find out

The RockYou2024 leak, which exposed astir 10 cardinal passwords successful July of past year, mightiness look similar aged news, but its interaction is inactive felt today.  

It's considered the largest password compilation ever released. With specified a immense postulation of breached credentials circulating, the hazard of credential stuffing, individuality theft and unauthorized entree to online accounts and systems remains high. For anyone inactive reusing passwords, the dangers are existent — and growing. 

That's wherefore password information has ne'er been much critical, and the large question remains, however unafraid is my password?

Join The FREE CyberGuy Report: Get my adept tech tips, captious information alerts and exclusive deals — positive instant entree to my free Ultimate Scam Survival Guide when you motion up!

Username and password connected tablet  (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)

Why does password spot matter?

Think of anemic passwords arsenic an unfastened doorway for hackers. Recent reports amusement that galore communal passwords tin beryllium cracked successful virtually seconds. Simple oregon reused passwords are particularly susceptible to automated attacks, and erstwhile 1 relationship is breached, others are often rapidly compromised.

If a institution you’re signed up with experiences a data breach and your login info is leaked, attackers tin effort that aforesaid password connected different platforms, perchance unlocking a batch much than conscionable 1 account.

Strong passwords enactment arsenic your archetypal enactment of defense. They’re long, analyzable and unique, making it importantly harder for attackers to conjecture oregon unit their mode in. When each relationship has its ain beardown password, adjacent if 1 gets leaked, the remainder enactment safe.

Think of it this way. A anemic password is similar utilizing the aforesaid cardinal for your house, car and bureau and leaving it nether the doormat. A beardown password? It’s similar a unique, high-security cardinal for each doorway successful your integer life.

Illustration of username and password  (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)

APPLE FIXES PASSWORDS APP VULNERABILITY ENABLING WI-FI ATTACKS

What are the apical 5 passwords to avoid?

The astir commonly utilized and insecure passwords are:

• 123456
• 123456789
• 12345678
• password
• Qwerty123

These passwords are highly casual to conjecture and should beryllium avoided astatine each costs.

Illustration of password login connected laptop  (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)

MALWARE STEALS BANK CARDS AND PASSWORDS FROM MILLIONS OF DEVICES

Password spot test: 7-point self-evaluation checklist

How unafraid is your password, really? It’s clip to enactment it to the test. Grab a pen (or conscionable support a intelligence tally) and people yourself based connected this 7-point password spot test. Each "yes" earns you a point. So, let’s spot however your password holds up successful today’s menace landscape.

1. Is your password astatine slightest 12 characters long?

Length is your archetypal enactment of defense. Short passwords — deliberation six oregon 8 characters — tin beryllium cracked successful minutes by modern hacking tools. At 12 characters oregon more, you’re making it exponentially harder for attacks to succeed.

2. Does it see a premix of precocious and lowercase letters?

Mixing uppercase and lowercase letters strengthens your password by expanding complexity. For example, alternatively of utilizing thing similar "t8g5k9w2," usage "T8g5K9w2" — aforesaid characters, conscionable much variety. Mix it up.

3. Does it see numbers?

Adding numbers makes your password harder to crack. Instead of sticking to conscionable letters — similar "Trkplmsh" — effort thing similar "Tr8k5Plm2sh." Randomly placed numbers summation complexity and marque your password overmuch much secure.

WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)?

4. Does it see peculiar characters?

Symbols similar !, @, #, and $ adhd different furniture of security. For example, a password similar "T8g5K9w2" becomes adjacent stronger arsenic "T8g5#K9w2!." Special characters summation complexity and assistance support against attacks.

5. Is it unsocial (not reused crossed accounts)?

Reusing passwords is similar handing hackers a maestro key. If 1 relationship gets breached, and you’ve reused that password elsewhere, you’re toast. One password, 1 purpose. No exceptions.

6. Does it debar idiosyncratic info similar your birthdate?

Your name, day oregon "Fluffy1990" (your dog’s sanction and commencement year) mightiness consciousness clever, but they’re goldmines for attackers who tin scrape societal media oregon breached data. Keep it impersonal and unpredictable.

7. Have you changed it successful the past 90 days?

Even bully passwords tin spell stale. It’s a astute determination to update them each 90 days, oregon sooner if a tract you usage has a information issue.

Illustration of password login connected laptop  (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)

DANGEROUS CHROME EXTENSIONS MIMIC PASSWORD MANAGERS

How did you score?

 Now, let’s instrumentality a look astatine your score:

• 0-2 points: Uh-oh. Your passwords are waving a invited emblem to hackers. Time for a superior upgrade.
• 3-4 points: Not terrible, but you’re inactive vulnerable. Patch those anemic spots pronto.
• 5-6 points: Solid effort! You’re adjacent to fortress-level information — tweak a spot more.
• 7 points: Nailed it. Your password is beardown and unafraid — conscionable retrieve to support it updated.

This speedy password spot trial isn’t conscionable a quiz, it’s a bully reminder. Even 1 anemic spot could beryllium each it takes for idiosyncratic to interruption in. In a satellite afloat of information leaks, a strong, unsocial password is 1 of the easiest ways to support yourself. So, what’s your score? Think it’s clip to level up?

What should I bash if my password spot is low?

If your people didn’t rather deed that 7 retired of 7 mark, nary worries. The bully news? You’ve already taken the archetypal measurement by identifying the anemic spots. Now, you’ve got 2 options:

GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE

Build a amended password yourself

To support your passwords secure, usage ones that are astatine slightest 12 characters agelong with a premix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and peculiar characters. Avoid utilizing idiosyncratic accusation oregon communal patterns. Always usage a antithetic password for each account, and enable two-factor authentication whenever it's available. 

While you tin physique a beardown password connected your own, let’s beryllium real, it’s not ever easy. Coming up with thing that’s astatine slightest 12 characters long, includes uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, peculiar symbols and isn’t based connected thing personal? That’s a gangly order. And adjacent if you bash negociate to trade the cleanable one, you’ve inactive got to retrieve it, particularly if you’re utilizing a antithetic beardown password for each relationship (which you perfectly should be).

Let a password generator bash the dense lifting

This is the easier, faster and frankly smarter route. A password generator creates long, complex, wholly random passwords for you — nary guesswork oregon intelligence gymnastics required. These tools are designed to pump retired passwords that cheque each the boxes, making them acold harder to crack. If you privation an casual and unafraid option, galore password managers see built-in password generators that travel champion practices for maximum strength. 

Either way, the cardinal takeaway is this: Don’t settee for anemic oregon recycled passwords. Whether you spell DIY oregon usage a tool, upgrading your password spot is 1 of the simplest ways to support yourself online.

Illustration of online banking login connected laptop  (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)

What is the champion password manager?

Password information tin look similar a pugnacious happening to support manually. The bully quality is that password managers instrumentality the hassle retired of it by generating, storing and autofilling strong, unsocial passwords for you.

We urge a password manager that is secure, user-friendly and includes features similar a password wellness tool, information breach monitoring and a built-in password generator to assistance you make strong, unsocial passwords. Essentially, they are a integer harmless designed to encrypt and store your login credentials, passkeys, recognition paper details, idiosyncratic accusation and adjacent delicate files. It remembers everything for you, organizes your credentials neatly and fills successful login forms with a azygous click. When you motion up for a caller site, it autosaves the password with nary effort required.

The champion part? A password manager puts an extremity to password reuse. Instead of leaning connected that bushed aged "Fluffy1990" for each account, it generates strong, unsocial passwords tailored to each site, boosting information for some your idiosyncratic and nonrecreational life. So, with a password manager, you’ll nary longer person to inquire yourself, however unafraid is my password?

Get much details astir my best expert-reviewed Password Managers of 2025 here.

Kurt's cardinal takeaways

With information breaches becoming progressively common, it's wide that password information isn't a "set it and hide it" task. It's an ongoing process. By prioritizing beardown passwords and utilizing tools to assistance you negociate them effectively, you tin importantly trim your hazard and bask greater bid of caput online.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Do you consciousness that the companies you interact with online are doing capable to support your information and passwords? What much could they beryllium doing? Let america cognize by penning america at Cyberguy.com/Contact

For much of my tech tips and information alerts, subscribe to my escaped CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter

Ask Kurt a question oregon fto america cognize what stories you'd similar america to cover

Follow Kurt connected his societal channels

• Facebook
• YouTube
• Instagram

Answers to the astir asked CyberGuy questions:

• What is the champion mode to support your Mac, Windows, iPhone and Android devices from getting hacked?
• What is the champion mode to enactment private, unafraid and anonymous portion browsing the web?
• How tin I get escaped of robocalls with apps and information removal services?
• How bash I region my backstage information from the internet?

New from Kurt:

• Try CyberGuy's caller games (crosswords, connection searches, trivia and more!)
• CyberGuy’s Exclusive Coupons and Deals
• Best gifts for Mom 2025

Copyright 2025 CyberGuy.com.  All rights reserved.