Your password stinks! (And why that’s putting everyone at risk)

Your Password Stinks! (And Why That’s Putting Everyone at Risk) 

Let’s be honest—your password probably stinks. And before you get defensive, hear us out. If you’re using “Password123!” or your dog’s name followed by your birth year across multiple accounts, you’re not alone. But you’re also making life incredibly easy for cybercriminals. 

The Uncomfortable Truth About Password Reuse 

Most security professionals recommend never using the same password across different accounts. But let’s face it—this is nearly impossible to track or enforce. We can’t see your personal passwords (and we shouldn’t!). But here’s the scary part: attackers can see them. 

How? Through massive data breaches that have exposed billions of credentials over the years. 

Your Adobe Account from 2013 Could Compromise Your Bank Account Today 

Remember that Adobe breach from years ago? Or maybe LinkedIn, MyFitnessPal, or any of the dozens of major breaches? Here’s a sobering list of just a few: 

• LinkedIn: 164 million email addresses and passwords exposed 

• Adobe, MyFitnessPal, Fantasy Football sites, University of California, Chegg, and countless others 

Every single one of these breaches exposed usernames and passwords. And if you’re thinking, “So what? I don’t even use that old Adobe account anymore”—think again. 

Enter the World of Credential Stuffing 

Cybercriminals use a technique called “credential stuffing” to weaponize these old breaches. As described by SC Media, it’s a numbers game where hackers attempt to sign into online services using stolen username/password combinations, banking on the fact that people reuse passwords across multiple sites. 

Here’s how it works: They take your username and password from that old Adobe breach and try it on: 

• Your work email 

• Your Gmail 

• Your bank accounts 

• Your investment accounts (E*TRADE, Capital One, etc.) 

Eventually, they get a hit. This is how accounts get compromised, folks. 

The Password Spray Attack: When Common Passwords Betray You 

But wait, it gets worse. Attackers don’t even need your specific password sometimes. They use “password spray” attacks—taking the top 200 most common passwords and trying them against thousands of accounts until they find matches. 

Still using “123456789” or “Password1!” somewhere? You’re basically leaving your digital front door wide open. 

The Hard Truth from Microsoft 

According to Microsoft, enabling Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) makes your account more than 99.9% less likely to be compromised. But here’s the thing— MFA isn’t a silver bullet. It just makes you a harder target. 

So What’s the Solution? 

1. Use a Password Manager

Password managers are your friend. Here’s why: 

• Create unique, ridiculously long passwords for EVERY service (Microsoft 365 even allows up to 256 characters!) 

• Your passwords should look more like this ➡️  YZA*(yAU$m{8$F$’^Q<DjNIfci!y_0cu[ 

• And less like this ➡️ Fido_1982! 

• You only need to remember ONE master password 

• Protect that password manager with MFA and the longest, strongest password you can create 

2. Follow These Password Rules

• Length is king: At least 14 characters, but longer is better 

• Complexity matters: Mix it up with various character types 

• Never share: Don’t tell anyone your password—not your spouse, not your neighbor, not tech support 

• No common words: They’re the first things attackers try 

• Can’t Seem to Come Up With a Strong and Unique Password for Each Site? 

• No problem: Most password managers offer random password generation with parameters that you specify (length, characters, etc.), making it extremely easy to generate a unique password for every service.  

3. Enable MFA Everywhere

Turn on Multi-Factor Authentication on: 

• Your work accounts 

• Personal accounts 

• Banking accounts 

• Everywhere that offers it 

Consider using advanced options like: 

• Passwordless authentication 

• Passkeys 

• Windows Hello! 

The Bottom Line 

Your “old reliable” password that you’ve been using since college? It’s time to retire it. That clever password with your kid’s name and birth year? Attackers have seen it before. 

The days of memorizing a handful of passwords and using them everywhere are over. Attackers are counting on your password reuse habits to make their job easy. Don’t let them. 

Take action today: 

1. Get a password manager 

1. Generate unique passwords for every account 

1. Enable MFA wherever possible 

1. Make “password reuse” a thing of the past 

Because in today’s digital world, your password doesn’t just stink—it’s potentially putting you, your family, your employer, and your personal data at risk. 

Ready to level up your password game? Start with your most important accounts—email, banking, and work—then systematically update everything else. Your future self will thank you.