Weak Passwords Caused 30% of Ransomware Infections in 2019

January 20, 2020

Weak passwords were one of the most common cybersecurity vulnerabilities in 2019, causing 30% of ransomware infections in 2019.

The recent PreciseSecurity.com research revealed that phishing scams caused more than 67% of ransomware infection globally during the last year. Another 36% of Mail Protection Service users reported ransomware attacks caused by the lack of cybersecurity training. Weak passwords were the third most common reason for ransomware infections globally in 2019.

The 30% share in the combined number of ransomware infections during the last years indicates a concerning level of password security awareness. The 2019 Google survey about beliefs and behaviors around online security showed that two in three individuals recycle the same password across multiple accounts. More than 50% admitted using one "favorite" password for the majority of the accounts. Only one-third of respondents knew how to define the password manager.

Only 12 % of US Online Users Take Advantage of Password Managers

The 2019 Statista survey reveals that 64% of US respondents find stolen passwords as the most concerning issue about data privacy. However, such a high level of concern didn't affect their habits related to keeping track of login information. According to the findings, 43% of respondents reported that their primary method of keeping track of their most crucial login information was to write it down. Another 45% of respondents named memorizing the login data as their primary method of tracking. At the same time, only 12% of US online users take advantage of password managers.

23.2 Million Victim Accounts Globally Used 123456 as Password

Using hard-to-guess passwords represent the first step in securing sensitive online information. However, according to the UK's National Cyber Security Centre 2019 survey, password re-use and weak passwords still represent a significant risk for companies and individuals all over the world.

The breach analysis indicated that 23.2 million victim accounts from all parts of the world used 123456 as a password. Another 7.8 million data breach victims chose a 12345678 password. More than 3.5 million people globally picked up the word "password" to protect access to their sensitive information.

Ransomware and the propulsion of the extortion economy has rapidly eclipsed into a national priority. Recently, we observed the catastrophic impact of a widescale ransomware attack impacting gas pipelines and raising national gas prices overnight.