The Problem Has Not Gone Away
Despite years of warnings, weak passwords remain widespread across businesses of every size. Research consistently finds that the most common business password is still “123456”, followed closely by “password”, “qwerty123”, and variations on the same predictable themes.
These are not just lazy choices. They are exploitable vulnerabilities. A password that can be cracked in under a second is functionally the same as no password at all. And for a business, a single compromised account can provide access to email, financial systems, client data, and internal files.
Common Password Mistakes to Avoid
Simple sequences and dictionary words
Passwords based on keyboard patterns, number sequences, or common words are the first thing automated attack tools try. They take milliseconds to crack. If any of your team’s passwords fall into this category, they need to change.
Personal information
Using a name, email address, or familiar phrase as a password is only marginally better. Attackers use personal information gathered from social media and data breaches to build targeted password lists. What feels personal to you is often easy for an attacker to guess.
Reusing passwords across accounts
Even a strong password becomes a liability if it is used across multiple systems. When one service suffers a data breach, every other account using the same password is immediately at risk. This is one of the most common causes of business account compromise.
What Good Password Security Looks Like
Use a password manager
A password manager generates and stores strong, unique passwords for every account. Your team does not need to remember them, which removes the temptation to reuse simple ones. It is one of the most practical improvements a business can make to its security posture.
Enable two-factor authentication
Two-factor authentication (2FA) requires a second confirmation step beyond the password, typically a code sent to a phone or generated by an app. Even if a password is stolen, an attacker cannot access the account without the second factor.
Consider passkeys
Passkeys replace traditional passwords entirely, using biometric authentication or device-based verification instead. They are phishing-resistant by design and are becoming the standard across major platforms. For businesses looking to move beyond passwords, this is the direction to head.
Support Across the North West
Blowfish Technology can review your current password policies and help implement password management tools, MFA, and modern authentication across your business. We support businesses including IT Support Chorley, IT Support Bury, IT Support Leyland, IT Support Oldham, and IT Support Stockport.
The Blowfish Technology team. Managed IT, cloud services, software development and connectivity for North West businesses since 1999.