Common Password Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Posted on March 21st, 2025 by Quertime Writer in Cyber Security

Passwords can be seen as the most fundamental aspect of cybersecurity in the digital age, representing the first line of defense against lives and careers subsequently altered by tremendous fallout from the unauthorized access to sensitive data. Yet, many people make fatal errors in the creation and management of their passwords, putting themselves at continued risk for cyber security incidents independently of other security mitigating measures. That said, this article shares a number of common password mistakes along with associated recommendations to avoid them.

Mistake 1: Using Weak Passwords

A common type of password error is creating passwords that are weak and simple to guess. Many users will still create passwords like “123456,” “password,” or “qwerty,” even after we have countless times talked about password security. Any password that easily guessable is not secure and a hacker can breach it in seconds using automated hacking methods.

A very strong password will be at least twelve characters long and contain both uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters. Don’t use simple words or word combinations, common phrases, or sayings. Consider using a passphrase, which is a string of unrelated words or a phrase from memory that would be much harder for someone else to guess, but easy for you to recall. For example, the passphrase “SunnyForest$1945!” is a much stronger choice than a weak password “password123.”

Mistake 2: Reusing Passwords Across Multiple Accounts

Using one password for all their accounts is both very common and extremely dangerous. Once cyber attackers have that password due to a compromise or leak, a vulnerability is left in all the other accounts against an attempt called “credential stuffing.”

The most effective way to minimize this risk, in this situation, is to use unique passwords for each of your online accounts. But being able to remember these strong, unique passwords is an important consideration. You might want to also consider using a password manager like Bitdefender Password Manager. Password managers allow you to store secure passwords and generate secure passwords for use on your various accounts, so you might enjoy using complex, unique passwords without the burden of remembering all of them.

Mistake 3: Relying on Personal Information

For many people, a password has a portion of it that involves some personal detail, such as an individual’s name, date of birth, or an individual’s pet, among others. Such types of information are relatively easy to remember and will therefore be relatively easy to guess, especially for someone who knows the individual or has access to them or their social media accounts.

Cybercriminals can easily gather personal data effortlessly through online searches or related tricks regarding social manipulation. Thus, not only you should use scam detector tools like Bitdefender scam detector, but you should also not include personal information in your password to protect your data. You should use a random collection of characters not related to you in any way. A strong password does not comprise easily accessible details or facts of your personal life.

Mistake 4: Failing to Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

A password is crackable, no matter how strong it is; therefore, there is a great need to put an additional security layer using two-factor authentication (2FA). Many people either do not really set this feature or do so poorly, thus making their accounts highly susceptible to an attack.

Two-factor Authentication requires two forms of identification before accessing your account—usually something one knows, like a password, and something one has, like a smartphone or a hardware token. This extra security step will go a long way to keep attackers blocked and away from unauthorized access, even if they have your password. Implement 2FA with accounts where valuable and sensitive data is held.

Mistake 5: Not Changing Passwords Regularly

Another common mistake is never changing the passwords. Even if your password is strong and unique, it can still be compromised over time through data breaches or phishing attacks. Ideally, passwords need to be changed every three to six months, and every new password needs to be completely different from the previous ones. You can use a password manager to alleviate the burden of changing your password too often, helping you to keep track of when passwords were last updated and prompting you when you need to change them.

Mistake 6: Ignoring Password Breach Notifications

Whenever there is a data breach, companies may send out notifications to their users recommending them to change their passwords. But many people simply ignore these notifications, thinking their accounts are safe. That’s when complacency sets in, and it is dangerous since cybercriminals often exploit data from a company’s breached accounts.

If you get a message that suggests your account has been hacked, you should spring into action by resetting your password and cross-checking the activity in your account for any hints your account is compromised. If you see something suspicious—like an unauthorized login, a request to reset your password where it wasn’t you, or perhaps some other similar account change—do not delay updating your password and check for any other suspicious activity in your account. This will prevent any potential breach from getting more serious and stop your personal information from being abused.

Mistake 7: Storing Passwords Insecurely

Storing passwords in insecure locations, such as on a piece of paper, in a text file on your computer, or in an unsecured document, is another common mistake. To keep your passwords safe, avoid writing them down or saving them in unprotected files. Instead, what you can do is use a password manager, which can safely encrypt your passwords so that they are secure from unauthorized access. The password manager will create and store difficult, unique passwords for all accounts, which in any case is a best practice.

As cyber threats become more skilled, adhering to strong password practices is more important than ever. Good password practices can greatly increase your level of security by guarding against poor choices such as using a simple password, an old password, the same password for more than one account, using personal information, etc. The time spent creating and managing your passwords well will be a tiny investment to guard against significant losses and protect your personal and professional data from thieves!