World Password Day: Check if your passwords are safe

World Password Day is here, and it is the cleanable excuse to cheque thing astir of america disregard until it is excessively late. Your passwords.

Think astir it. You are scrolling connected your phone, possibly checking email oregon societal media, erstwhile you spot a connection claiming idiosyncratic has entree to your account. You privation to disregard it. It feels similar spam.

But this time, you pause. Because breaches hap each the time, and stolen passwords are inactive 1 of the easiest ways for hackers to get in.

So alternatively of waiting for a scare, contiguous is simply a bully time to get up of it.

AMERICA'S MOST-USED PASSWORD IN 2025 REVEALED

World Password Day is simply a reminder to update anemic oregon reused passwords earlier hackers usage stolen login details to entree your accounts. (Pekic/Getty Images)

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 Why World Password Day really matters

This isn’t conscionable different made-up holiday. It is simply a reminder of a precise existent problem. Companies get breached. Databases leak. And erstwhile login details are exposed, they often get shared oregon sold online.

From there, attackers effort those aforesaid passwords crossed different accounts. This is called credential stuffing, and it works much often than you would think. That is wherefore adjacent 1 anemic oregon reused password tin enactment aggregate accounts astatine risk. 

How to cheque and support yourself today

You bash not request a analyzable process. Start elemental and enactment your mode done it.

1) Change your astir important passwords

Start with your email, banking and societal media accounts. If immoderate of those passwords are aged oregon reused, update them now.

2) Stop reusing passwords

Using the aforesaid password crossed sites is 1 of the biggest risks. If 1 relationship is exposed, the remainder tin autumn similar dominoes.

3) Turn connected two-factor authentication

Two-factor authentication (2FA) adds a 2nd furniture of protection. Even if idiosyncratic has your password, they inactive cannot get successful without that other step.

10 SIGNS YOUR PERSONAL DATA IS BEING SOLD ONLINE

Reused passwords tin enactment aggregate accounts astatine hazard if 1 institution breach exposes login details to hackers. (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)

4) Reduce however overmuch of your information is online

This measurement is often overlooked, but it matters much than radical think. The much idiosyncratic accusation floating astir online, the easier it is for scammers to people you oregon interruption into your accounts. You tin instrumentality a much proactive approach. Some information removal services connection a escaped scan that checks whether your idiosyncratic accusation is exposed connected information broker and people-search sites. It lone takes a infinitesimal to run, and the results tin amusement you which companies whitethorn person your data. From there, you tin determine whether to region that accusation and trim your vulnerability going forward. Results get by email successful astir an hour.

Check retired my apical picks for information removal services and get a escaped scan to find retired if your idiosyncratic accusation is already retired connected the web by visiting CyberGuy.com.

How to make a beardown password

If you are updating passwords today, marque definite you are doing it right.

Make it long

Aim for astatine slightest 12 characters. Longer passwords are overmuch harder to crack. 

Mix antithetic types of characters

Use uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols to summation complexity.

Avoid communal words and phrases

Simple words oregon predictable combinations are casual for attackers to guess. 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.

Skip evident substitutions

Replacing letters with symbols, similar "$" for "S," is nary longer effective. Hackers already relationship for that.

HOW SECURE IS MY PASSWORD? USE THIS TEST TO FIND OUT

Strong passwords, two-factor authentication and password managers tin assistance support email, banking and societal media accounts from attackers. (Neil Godwin/Future via Getty Images)

Why a password manager is worthy it

Managing beardown passwords connected your ain isn't realistic. That is wherefore password managers exist.

These tools tin make strong, unsocial passwords for each relationship and store them securely. You lone request to retrieve 1 maestro password.

It besides makes logging successful faster and easier, portion removing the temptation to reuse passwords. That unsocial tin forestall a batch of problems.

Check retired the champion expert-reviewed password managers of 2026 astatine CyberGuy.com.

Kurt's cardinal takeaways

World Password Day is simply a reminder, but it should not beryllium the lone time you deliberation astir this. Still, it is simply a bully starting point. A fewer speedy changes contiguous tin forestall a large headache later. Strong passwords, two-factor authentication and reducing your online footprint each enactment together. Tools similar Incogni assistance instrumentality that 1 measurement further by limiting however overmuch accusation is retired determination to statesman with. Pair that with a password manager, and you are not conscionable reacting to threats. You are gathering a overmuch stronger defense.

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When was the past clip you updated your passwords, and what made you yet bash it? Let america cognize by penning to america astatine CyberGuy.com.

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• Get my champion tech tips, urgent information alerts and exclusive deals delivered consecutive to your inbox.
• For simple, real-world ways to spot scams aboriginal and enactment protected, sojourn CyberGuy.com – trusted by millions who ticker CyberGuy connected TV daily.
• Plus, you'll get instant entree to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide escaped erstwhile you join.

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