SECURITY RISK

83% of Americans’ Passwords Can Be Hacked in Less Than a Second, Study Shows

A new report has found that hackers can crack 83 percent of the most common passwords in less than a second, forcing companies to turn to passkeys for employees.

Tech companies are looking for new solutions to account security, as Americans’ subpar password habits are leaving them vulnerable to hackers, according to ABC News. A new report from password manager Nordpass found that hackers can crack 83 percent of the most common passwords in less than a second, with the word “guest” leading the pack as the most popular. In second and third? “123456” and the classic “password.” “If I had to use one word it would be ‘lazy,’” said a Nordpass spokesperson regarding Americans’ password habits. This collective unwillingness to protect our most valuable data with anything stronger than the first words that come to mind is turning companies toward the adoption of passkeys, which are unique codes created by an individual device that can then access a variety of accounts.