NordPass’ seventh annual Top 200 Most Common Passwords research shows a familiar (and risky) pattern: Australians are still choosing passwords that attackers can guess in seconds—often without any “hacking” at all.
What the NordPass research found (in plain terms)
The latest NordPass research (7th edition) analyzed passwords exposed in breaches and dark-web repositories and ranked the most common choices globally and across 44 countries. A key addition this year was a generational lens: how different age groups choose passwords—and whether any generation is noticeably better at it.
Key Australia finding: In Australia, admin is reported as the #1 password, and password is #2—two of the easiest guesses attackers try first.
Takeaway #1: Weak passwords are a “shared habit” across all generations
If you expect younger users to be dramatically better (the “digital native” myth), the data doesn’t support it. Across age brackets, extremely common numeric choices like 12345 and 123456 repeatedly appear near the top.
Takeaway #2: Older users are more likely to include names
One difference does appear: older generations tend to use names more often in passwords. Gen Z and Gen Y, on the other hand, use far fewer names and instead lean toward long numeric sequences (for example, 1234567890) or trendy words (for example, “skibidi” is mentioned in reporting).
Takeaway #3: Numbers and keyboard patterns dominate
The most common passwords globally and in many country lists are still built from the easiest patterns: sequential numbers (123456789), keyboard walks (qwerty), or mixed keyboard patterns (1q2w3e4r5t). These patterns are embedded in attacker wordlists and are tested automatically.
Takeaway #4: More special characters… but not more security
Compared to last year, the list reportedly contains a larger number of passwords that include special characters. Unfortunately, many of these are still predictable “complex-looking” variants such as P@ssw0rd, Admin@123, or Abcd@1234. Attackers anticipate these substitutions and test them by default.
Why “admin” is especially dangerous in Australia
The password admin is risky for two reasons:
- Role-based It often matches real usernames (e.g.,
admin,administrator), making credential stuffing and brute-force attempts much easier. - Default behavior Many devices, CMS panels, routers, and lab environments start with an “admin-like” account. If passwords remain default or are set to obvious patterns, compromise becomes low-effort.
Security reality: Attackers don’t “guess creatively.” They guess efficiently—starting with what millions of people reuse.
What this means for universities and MIT learning environments
In a university setting (or any teaching lab environment), weak credentials create a “fast path” for account takeover. That risk becomes more serious when accounts control access to:
- Learning Management Systems (LMS), student records, and staff portals
- Cloud labs, virtual machines, and shared admin consoles
- Research repositories, shared storage, and collaboration tools
- Email accounts used for password resets across multiple services
The main risk is not just “someone logs in.” It is what happens next: attackers can pivot to other systems, exfiltrate data, plant malware, or launch phishing from trusted accounts.
Practical fixes (simple rules that actually work)
If you want password security that is realistic for students and staff, focus on steps that reduce predictability and minimize reuse.
1) Replace passwords with passphrases (length beats tricks)
- Create a phrase of 14–20+ characters (longer is better).
- Use multiple unrelated words: “paper-lamp-river-planet” (example only).
- Avoid personal info (names, birthdays, suburb, university name).
2) Stop “cosmetic complexity”
Don’t rely on predictable substitutions like a → @ or adding 123. Attack tools generate these automatically.
3) Use a password generator for unique passwords
The real win is uniqueness. A password manager makes it practical to have a different password for every site, so one breach doesn’t unlock your entire digital life.
4) Turn on MFA everywhere (especially email)
MFA (multi-factor authentication) is one of the most effective controls against password reuse and credential stuffing. Prioritize your email account first, because it is the “reset key” for many other services.
5) Remove default admin routes in lab setups
- Rename or disable default admin accounts where possible.
- Limit admin panels to trusted IPs/VPN.
- Use rate limiting and account lockout policies (carefully configured).
Conclusion
The NordPass findings highlight a stubborn reality: password habits remain dangerously predictable, even as threats become more automated and targeted. In Australia, the fact that admin leads the list should be a wake-up call—especially for organizations running systems where a single compromised account can expose many users.
The fix is not “harder-looking” passwords. The fix is longer, unique credentials, supported by password managers and MFA, and reinforced by smart defaults in teaching and lab environments.