Passwords can be overwhelming. Password statistics can be even more overwhelming.
The average person in 2025 has 168 passwords for personal accounts and an additional 87 for work. Just 10 years ago, those numbers were 17 and 9.1,2
Why the explosion? “Digital identity sprawl,” according to professionals who monitor trends in the tech industry.
But from our perspective, it’s all the more reason why having a sound password strategy is essential. When everything from your utility bill to your social media pages to your shopping carts has passwords, you can no longer afford to ignore best practices when it comes to computer security.
Pro Tip: If it’s been a long time, commit to changing your password on your “money” accounts in the next 30 days. Investment accounts, bank accounts, and any other account where you keep funds. Be proactive and follow updated password rules.
Take the First Steps4
Don’t get personal. Cybercriminals can uncover a lot of information about you through public records and social media profiles. So, avoid using numbers like your birthday or street address in your password. Also, don’t use your pet’s name.
Consider a passphrase. Is there a phrase from a book or a movie that you like that’s easy for you to remember, but hard for someone else to guess? Say you want to use the word motorcycles. Maybe you consider M0t0Rcyc73Z for your next password.
Did You Know? A complex 12-character password takes 62 trillion times longer to crack than a 6-character password.3
Use unique passwords for each account. About 23% of people use the same password across three or four accounts. If a cybercriminal gets the password to one account, very little can stop them from moving to other accounts.
Consider a password manager. A password manager creates, encrypts, and stores unique, complex passwords for every account. You only need to remember one: the password for your manager account.
Avoid logging in on public computers. When you’re away from home, it can be tempting to log into a computer in a hotel lobby or a business center. Public computers can be infected with malware, so it’s best to avoid these as much as possible. If you have to use a public computer, perhaps just avoid logging into your bank or investment accounts.
Look for Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA). Especially with bank and investment accounts, consider enabling MFA. When logging in, the MFA requires that you supply more than just your password to access your account; often, this is a one-time passcode that expires in a short time.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed or anxious reading all this information about passwords, it’s time to create a strategy to make you more comfortable. We want you to stop spinning your wheels and take a step forward today. If you’re confused about where to start, please contact us. We’re ready to help.
- PandaSecurity.com, April 4, 2025
- RealKM.com, September 1, 2026
- JumpCloud.com, October 24, 2025
- MorganStanley.com, 2026
